Iranian officials have firmly rejected recent comments made by U.S. President Donald Trump, who suggested that the ongoing conflict involving Iran could soon conclude.
Tehran insists that it, not Washington, will ultimately determine when hostilities cease.
Trump’s remarks were delivered during an address to U.S. lawmakers on Monday, where he indicated that the fighting could wrap up “soon,” though he refrained from providing a precise timeframe.
“It’s going to be ended soon, and if it starts up again they’ll be hit even harder,” the U.S. president stated.
When pressed to clarify if “soon” implied within a week, Trump responded that he believed it would end soon but stopped short of offering a definitive timeline.
Later that same day, Trump issued a stark warning to Tehran, asserting that any attempt by Iran to disrupt global oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz would provoke a significantly stronger response from the U.S.
“If they stop the flow of oil, they will be hit by the United States of America twenty times harder than they have been hit thus far,” he said.
These escalating tensions have also sent ripples through global energy markets. Oil prices, which had surged to approximately $120 per barrel—their highest level since 2022—experienced a decline to around $90 per barrel on Tuesday, marking the first drop since the conflict intensified in the Middle East.
Iran, however, quickly dismissed the U.S. president’s comments.
A spokesperson for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) declared that Tehran would be the one to decide the timeline for the conflict’s resolution.
“Iran will determine when the war ends,” the spokesperson said, further cautioning that continued U.S. and Israeli attacks could compel Tehran to halt oil exports from the region.
In a separate interview with PBS News, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that diplomatic engagement with Washington is currently off the table. He cited a painful experience during previous negotiations concerning Iran’s nuclear program as the reason.
“They told us they had no intention of attacking Iran and that they wanted a peaceful solution to the nuclear issue,” Araghchi said. “Yet they ultimately chose to strike us.”
The foreign minister concluded by affirming that Iran would continue to defend its sovereignty amidst the ongoing conflict.
