Iran vows to fight ‘as long as needed’

FM rules out fresh negotiations with US

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Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said yesterday 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 Mr Trump's assurances of a swift end to the rapidly widening conflict.

Mr 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 5%, a day after benchmark crude rocketed past $100 (3,162 baht) a barrel.

"It's going to be ended soon, and if it starts up again they'll be hit even harder," Mr 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," he said.