Iran has pushed back against US President Donald Trump’s remarks suggesting that the war in Iran could end soon, asserting that Tehran, not Washington, will decide when the conflict comes to a close.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said that the outcome of the conflict and the future balance of power in the region now lie in the hands of Iranian forces.
The statement came after Trump indicated that the fighting against Iran may be short-lived and that the war is “pretty much complete”.
Iran Says It Will Decide When War Ends
Responding to Trump’s comments, the IRGC said Tehran would determine when military operations against US and Israeli targets end.
“It is we who will determine the end of the war,” the IRGC said in a statement.
“The equations and future status of the region are now in the hands of our armed forces; American forces will not end the war,” it added.
Trump Says Conflict Could Be Short-Lived
Speaking to Republican lawmakers at his golf club near Miami, Trump suggested the war could be brief but warned that the situation could escalate if Iran disrupts global oil supplies.
“We took a little excursion to the Middle East to get rid of some evil. And, I think you’ll see it’s going to be a short-term excursion,” Trump said.
In a phone interview with CBS News on Monday afternoon, the president said the conflict could be nearing its end.
“I think the war is very complete, pretty much,” the president said, speaking from his Doral, Florida, golf club. “[Iran has] no navy, no communications, they’ve got no air force. Their missiles are down to a scatter. Their drones are being blown up all over the place, including their manufacturing of drones.”
According to the US military, more than 3,000 Iranian targets were struck during the first week of operations.
“If you look, they have nothing left. There’s nothing left in a military sense,” Trump said.
Late Sunday, Iran announced that Mojtaba Khamenei would replace his father Ayatollah Khamenei as the country’s supreme leader.
“I have no message for him. None, whatsoever,” Trump said, adding that he has someone else in mind to lead the country.
Strait Of Hormuz Shipping Disrupted
Commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a route through which about 20 per cent of global oil supply passes, has effectively come to a halt amid the conflict.
Trump warned Iran against obstructing the strategic waterway.
“They’ve shot everything they have to shoot, and they better not try anything cute or it’s going to be the end of that country. … If they do anything bad, that would be the end of Iran and you’d never hear the name again.”
He also said the strait was currently open and claimed ships were entering it, but added that he was still “thinking about taking it over.”
Oil Prices Spike As War Continues
The war has disrupted major oil and gas supplies to global markets, pushing fuel prices higher across the US.
Oil prices briefly rose to their highest levels since 2022 after Iran named Mojtaba Khamenei as supreme leader, which investors viewed as a signal that Tehran was preparing for a prolonged conflict ten days after the war launched by the US and Israel.
However, prices later declined while US stocks rose amid expectations that the war might not last much longer.
Meanwhile, Trump also spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday about the conflict and other issues.
Putin’s foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov said the Russian leader “voiced a few ideas regarding a quick political and diplomatic settlement” of the conflict following discussions with Gulf leaders and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
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