Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Rylan Barton. President Trump appears to be backing off his

political demands as he claims the end of the war in Iran is near. As NPR's Franco-Ordonias reports,

the White House says Trump alone will determine whether Iran has unconditionally surrendered.

The White House has been clear about its four military objectives, but it's been

less clear about the political ones. Trump has said he would settle for nothing short of

unconditional surrender and that the U.S. needed to be part of the selection of an acceptable

leader. White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt told reporters Trump did not mean that literally.

When President Trump says that Iran is in a place of unconditional surrender, he's not

claiming the Iranian regime is going to come out and say that themselves.

She says he meant that when Iran no longer poses a credible threat to the U.S., that's when

he would determine the end of U.S. operations.

In the meantime, Iran's choice of a new Supreme leader is the late Ayatollah's son, who Trump is called unacceptable. Franco, Ordoñez,

NPR News, the White House. NPR's Ruth Sherlock has been spending time with Iranians who have

made it out of the country and now are watching this war unfold.

Hotels in this Turkish town close to the border are filled with Iranians fleeing the bombardment.

At breakfast, they talk politics.

There are mixed feelings about ending this war now.

A 26-year-old woman who asked NPR not to name her because she could be arrested

if she returns to Iran for speaking to foreign media says after the government killed many

thousands of people during nationwide demonstrations in January, she can't imagine having

to continue living under this regime. We lost so many people that it's just so hard to go back.

There's this hole in your heart.

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