Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated during a meeting with doctors that it is better to end the war now from a position of power, claimed global acknowledgment of Iran's victory, and accused the U.S. of attacking Iranian schools, hospitals, and infrastructure. U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking at a rally in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina on August 21, 2026, asserted total U.S. control over the Strait of Hormuz region and stated that Iran will never obtain a nuclear weapon. A memorandum of understanding between Tehran and Washington expired shortly before these remarks.