Iran has stated it will decide when the war with the US and Israel ends, emphasizing no oil will be shipped out of the Middle East if attacks continue. President Donald Trump said the war will end in four weeks or sooner. However, Iran's military insists there must be a winner and calls Trump's statement nonsense.
The war between Iran, the US, and Israel continues to elicit strong statements from all sides. Iran has declared it will determine when the conflict ends, while warning that oil shipments from the Middle East will halt if attacks persist. An Iranian military statement said, “We will decide when the war ends and how, because there must be a winner. Trump's statement is nonsense.”
President Trump stated the war would conclude in four weeks or even sooner, as the US has fully weakened Iran's military. He warned that if Iran blocks oil shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, it would face attacks 20 times more severe than before. Trump added, “We will strike them so hard that it will be difficult for them to rise or revive their nation even with allies' help.”
The Strait of Hormuz, which handles a significant portion of global oil shipments, is now closed with no oil tankers sailing, a situation that could drive up crude oil prices.
On Sunday, Iran appointed Mojtaba Khamenei as the new religious leader following the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei in an attack. Israel stated the war would end only with the removal of clerical rule. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “Our goal is to ensure Iranian citizens have a voice in choosing their leader. Ultimately, they will decide, but if we succeed with the Iranian people, we will end the enmity and war that has existed for many years.”
US officials say their aim is to destroy Iran's nuclear facilities, though Trump emphasizes leadership change. Since the war began in late February, more than 1,332 Iranian civilians have been killed and many injured. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi stated there is no intention to continue talks with the US, saying, “They invaded us when talks had reached a critical stage. Talking with America is no longer our agenda; we've moved past that.”