Panic index soars! Iranian President: Unconditional surrender is impossible

Iranian President Delivers Latest Speech

According to CCTV News, on March 7 local time, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi delivered a speech calling on the nation to unite in defending Iran and stating that Iran will never surrender unconditionally.

In his speech, Raisi apologized to neighboring countries and announced that the interim leadership committee approved on the 6th to cease attacks on neighbors and refrain from launching missiles unless these countries first attack Iran.

Previously, U.S. President Donald Trump claimed on social media on the 6th that “no agreement will be reached with Iran unless it surrenders unconditionally.” He also stated that the U.S. and its many allies aim to “make Iran great again!”

On March 7 local time, the Iranian military announced that the Iranian Navy conducted a large-scale drone attack targeting U.S. military positions and bases near Abu Dhabi Airport in the UAE, a U.S. military camp in Kuwait, and Israeli radar installations.

The Israel Defense Forces announced that over 80 Israeli Air Force fighters completed a new round of strikes. The operation mainly targeted infrastructure in Tehran and other central regions of Iran, as well as multiple launch sites in western and central Iran.

Additionally, reports indicate that the U.S. Navy’s Third Carrier Strike Group, led by the USS George H. W. Bush, is preparing to deploy “soon” to the Middle East. The specific timing and duration of deployment have not been announced.

According to U.S. sources, the USS George H. W. Bush Carrier Strike Group completed its pre-deployment exercises on the 5th and is ready for deployment. All carrier strike groups must complete such exercises before they can undertake missions.

Currently, the U.S. military has deployed two carrier strike groups in the Middle East: the USS Gerald R. Ford and the USS Lincoln. The Ford strike group left the Eastern Mediterranean on the 5th, crossed the Suez Canal, and is now in the Red Sea.

VIX Fear Index Surges

On March 6 local time, the Chicago Board Options Exchange Volatility Index (VIX) soared to its highest level since April last year.

That day, the VIX rose to 29.49 points, an increase of 24%. For most of this year, the index has remained below the 30-year average of 20 points.

According to Tom from the Chicago Options Exchange, the sharp rise in the VIX on Friday was driven by three main factors: about one-third of the increase was due to the 1.4% decline in the S&P 500 index; another part was driven by market pessimism, with investors buying downside protection options and selling upside call options; the remaining increase was due to growing uncertainty about future stock market trends, reflected in a surge of a lesser-known index—the Chicago Options Exchange VIX Volatility Index (VVIX)—which measures the volatility of volatility itself. The VVIX rose nearly 25 points on Friday, closing at 140, the highest level since April 11, 2025.

(Source: Securities Times)