Iran rejects negotiations, pledges ongoing strikes as Trump sees war ending soon

Demonstrators gather with Iranian national flags for a rally in support of the new Supreme Leader at Enghelab Square in central Tehran on March 9, 2026. 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 continue, 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.”