Trump: War with Iran Expected to End 'Soon'

Tokyo — United States President Donald Trump on Monday stated that the ongoing war with Iran is expected to end “soon”, although he denied it would conclude this weekend.

“We are winning decisively. We are far ahead of schedule,” Trump claimed, having initially estimated the conflict could last four to five weeks, in a media briefing in Florida.

Trump’s remarks came after Iran selected Mojtaba Khamenei as its new supreme leader following the death of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in the opening wave of combined US-Israeli strikes.

Mojtaba Khamenei is known for his close ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). His ascension to power has raised concerns across much of the world that the conflict, now entering its second week, could further destabilise the Middle East and directly impact the global economy.

While insisting that the US had achieved “unprecedented” military success, Trump admitted being “disappointed” with the selection of Iran’s new supreme leader. “We thought this would only cause the same problems for the country,” he said.

Trump also warned that the US would strike Iran aggressively if the country attempted to block global energy supplies.

“We will hit them very hard, making it impossible for them or anyone helping them to restore that part of the world,” he stated.

However, Trump expressed optimism about oil prices, saying that crude would be significantly cheaper once the war concludes.

Regarding oil shipment disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz, Trump said the US was less affected than China.

“We are actually helping China and other countries, because they get a lot of energy from the strait. But look, we have good relations with China. It is an honour for me to do that,” he said.