Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tuesday his country would keep fighting as long as necessary, casting doubt on US President Donald Trump’s insistence that the conflict would be over “soon.” The remarks from one of Iran’s top leaders, who also ruled out negotiations with Washington, came as Tehran launched a new wave of attacks on US-allied Gulf nations hours after Trump’s assurances of a swift end to the rapidly widening conflict. Trump’s comments helped reverse the stock market slumps and oil price jumps of a day earlier, with markets in Tokyo and Seoul opening strongly, and oil prices down as much as five percent, a day after benchmark crude rocketed past $100 a barrel. “It’s going to be ended soon, and if it starts up again they’ll be hit even harder,” Trump told a news conference in Florida on Monday, after telling lawmakers that the campaign would be a “short-term excursion.” “We’ve already won in many ways, but we haven’t won enough,” Trump said. He threatened an attack of “incalculable” size if Tehran blocks oil supplies. “We will hit them so hard that it will not be possible for them or anybody else helping them to ever recover that section of the world, if they do anything.” However, in an interview Araghchi told PBS News “the firings continues, and we are prepared. We are well prepared to continue attacking them with our missiles as long as needed and as long as it takes.” Iran’s Revolutionary Guards also responded to Trump that they would “determine the end of the war”. And Araghchi effectively ruled out negotiations with Washington, saying Tehran had “a very bitter experience of talking with Americans.” Recalling previous US attacks during earlier negotiations, he said: “I don’t think talking with Americans anymore would be on our agenda.” Early Tuesday, Iranian attacks again targeted Gulf nations. The United Arab Emirates said it responded to incoming missile and drone threats from Iran,” while in Bahrain citizens were told to take shelter as sirens sounded. Both Saudi Arabia and Kuwait also said they had intercepted and destroyed drones. In Iran, local media reported fresh attacks in the capital and Khomein, and Israel said it had struck an Iranian missile launcher shortly after an Iranian barrage that triggered warnings in several parts of Israel. The ongoing fire laid bare the uncertainty that has roiled markets globally, prompting fuel shortages and raising the spectre of inflation. In a bid to calm prices, Trump announced he would waive some sanctions on oil, following talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Iran has targeted vessels traveling through the Strait of Hormuz, through which nearly 20 percent of the world’s crude oil usually transits. French President Emmanuel Macron said Monday his country and its allies were working on a “purely defensive” mission to reopen the strait, aiming to escort ships “after the end of the hottest phase of the conflict”. But it was far from clear when that might come.
Iran to fight ‘as long as needed’ as Trump says war will end ‘soon’
Published on: March 11, 2026 2:14 AM