“We Will Determine the End of the War,” Iran’s IRGC Responds to Trump

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said Tuesday that it—not the United States—will decide when the war involving Iran, the United States and Israel ends.

In a statement reported by Iranian news agency Tasnim, the IRGC rejected remarks by Donald Trump suggesting the conflict may be nearing its conclusion.

“We are the ones who will determine the end of the war,” the IRGC said. “The conditions on the battlefield and the end of the war are in the hands of the Islamic Republic.”

Trump earlier told CBS News in a phone interview that he believes the war with Iran is largely complete, citing what he described as the destruction of much of Iran’s military capability.

“I think the war is very complete, pretty much,” Trump said. “They have no navy, no communications, they’ve got no air force. Their missiles are down to a scatter. Their drones are being blown up all over the place, including their manufacturing of drones. If you look, they have nothing left. There’s nothing left in a military sense.”

He added that U.S. operations were progressing faster than the four-to-five-week timeline he initially outlined.

Fighting intensified in late February when Israeli and U.S. forces launched coordinated strikes across Iran. The attacks targeted political and military leaders, along with air defence systems, naval assets, aircraft and other military infrastructure.

Soon after the campaign began, Trump said the operation could last between four and five weeks. Late last week, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt indicated the timeframe could extend to four to six weeks.

The IRGC statement signals that Iranian officials reject Washington’s assessment of the conflict and intend to continue military operations.