Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi declared Tuesday that Iran intends to keep fighting for as long as necessary, pushing back against President Donald Trump’s prediction a day earlier that the conflict would end quickly.
At the same time, Iran’s security chief Ali Larijani dismissed what he called Trump’s threats, saying the Iranian public was not intimidated by them.
“Even those greater than you could not eliminate the Iranian nation,” Larijani warned Trump on X. “Watch out for yourself — lest you be eliminated.”
Araghchi’s comments, which also included a rejection of renewed negotiations with Washington, came as Iran launched another wave of strikes targeting Gulf states aligned with the United States. The attacks occurred just hours after Trump expressed confidence that the escalating war would soon come to a close.
Trump’s remarks had helped calm financial markets that had been shaken the previous day by the growing conflict. Stocks in Tokyo and Seoul rebounded sharply, while oil prices dropped by as much as five percent after surging above $100 per barrel the day before.
“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.
Trump also warned that Iran would face a massive military response if it attempts to interfere with global oil shipments.
“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.”
In an interview with PBS News, Araghchi responded by saying Iran remains ready to continue its missile attacks.
“The firing 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.”
Araghchi also dismissed the possibility of further diplomatic talks with the United States, saying previous negotiations had left Tehran distrustful.
Iran’s last direct confrontation with Israel in June 2025 — when the United States briefly joined strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities — also followed a round of negotiations between Tehran and Washington.
“I don’t think talking with Americans anymore would be on our agenda,” Araghchi said, noting that the US had spoken of progress after three rounds of talks, before it launched the opening strikes of the campaign on February 28 along with Israel.
He further argued that the United States and Israel had failed in their early attempts to destabilize Iran’s leadership and were now operating without a clear objective.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps issued its own response to Trump, declaring that Iran itself would decide when the war ends and repeating warnings that oil shipments from the region could be halted if attacks continue.
Iran has already effectively prevented tankers from passing through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow passage linking the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Indian Ocean. Roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply normally travels through that route. According to the International Maritime Organization, recent attacks on commercial ships near the strait have killed at least seven sailors.
Trump later repeated his warning in a message posted on Truth Social.
“If Iran does anything that stops the flow of Oil within the Strait of Hormuz, they will be hit by the United States of America TWENTY TIMES HARDER than they have been hit thus far,” he said.
{Matzav.com}
New York City is experiencing a sharp rise in pothole complaints after two major snowstorms battered the region this winter, with thousands of reports flooding the city’s 311 system and Queens accounting for the largest share of the problems, the NY Post reports.
“There’s potholes everywhere. My tires are literally crying hanging on by a thread,” an X user lamented of the city’s massive asphalt holes last week.
City records show that more than 11,300 pothole complaints have already been filed by residents in 2026. Nearly half of those reports have come from Queens alone, representing a dramatic 33 percent increase compared with the same point last year, according to a New York Post review of 311 data.
More than 5,000 warnings about potholes — described by drivers as both hazardous and aggravating — have been submitted from Queens so far this year.
Brooklyn ranks second with 2,107 reports, followed by Staten Island with 1,500 complaints. Manhattan has recorded 1,414 reports, while The Bronx has seen 1,259.
Some of the most commonly reported trouble spots include several busy Queens roadways. Northern Boulevard has generated more than 100 complaints since the start of the year, while Rockaway Boulevard has received 76 complaints and Union Turnpike has drawn 66.
Frustration from drivers has been widespread. One person said the potholes in Queens were “the size of craters,” while another called on city officials to address deteriorating sections of Queens Boulevard that are “not getting attention.”
Potholes typically develop when water seeps into cracks in pavement and repeatedly freezes and thaws, causing the asphalt to break apart. For drivers, hitting one can lead to expensive vehicle damage and repairs that can cost thousands of dollars. In addition, repairs can create traffic disruptions and longer commute times while crews work to fix the roads.
Auto repair shops are already feeling the impact. Mechanics in The Bronx told News12 last month that pothole damage is increasing, with roughly 20 repair jobs each week linked to vehicles hitting the road hazards.
“It’s going to be a peak year for potholes, not just a bad year,” said Tom Pratt, a part owner of a Long Island company that manufactures the asphalt used to repair potholes, to The New York Times.
He noted that the past few winters had been relatively mild, adding they had “almost seemed like a vacation from pothole season.”
The city’s Department of Transportation says its crews usually repair potholes within about two days of receiving a complaint.
However, a New York Post analysis of 311 records indicates that more than a quarter of the complaints filed so far this year remained unresolved as of Sunday afternoon, with cases listed as “open,” “pending” or “in progress.”
Among those still awaiting action are more than a dozen complaints involving major roads, including Union Turnpike as well as Roosevelt Avenue and Bruckner, Rockaway, Queens, Springfield and Northern boulevards.
Queens once again leads the city in unresolved cases, with 1,729 outstanding complaints — roughly one out of every three reports filed. Brooklyn follows with 453 unresolved cases, Manhattan with 414, The Bronx with 314 and Staten Island with 137.
The Department of Transportation says it fills about 170,000 potholes annually. Officials attribute much of the road damage to the harsh effects of winter weather and the equipment used to keep roads clear.
“high volumes of snowfall, salt, and use of tire chains all contribute to wear and tear on our roads.
“New York is one of the few cities in the country that runs its own asphalt plants, enabling us to pave more than 1,150 lane miles each year and fill potholes within two days of a complaint,” a DOT rep said.
“After this historic winter, we’re ramping up repairs citywide to make sure every borough’s streets are safe and smooth.”
{Matzav.com}
