Iran rejects ceasefire and says US ought to be ‘punched in mouth to be taught lesson’

Iran’s parliamentary speaker has rejected calls for a ceasefire in the escalating conflict with Israel, saying Tehran intends to continue fighting until the “aggressor” is punished, even as US President Donald Trump said the war could end in the near future.

Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, speaker of Iran’s Islamic Consultative Assembly, said Iran is not seeking a ceasefire and vowed retaliation against Israel in comments posted Tuesday on the social media platform X.

“We are definitely not looking for a ceasefire; we believe that the aggressor should be punched in the mouth so that he learns a lesson so that he will never think of attacking our beloved Iran again,” Qalibaf wrote.

He also accused Israel of deliberately sustaining cycles of conflict and diplomacy to maintain its regional dominance.

“The Zionist regime sees its shameful existence as a continuation of the cycle of ‘war-negotiation-ceasefire and then war again’ to consolidate its dominance. We will break this cycle,” he said.

Qalibaf’s remarks come a day after Trump suggested the conflict between Iran, Israel and US forces may be nearing its end, despite ongoing strikes and rising tensions across the Middle East.

Speaking to reporters Monday, Trump said the campaign against Iran had already achieved major objectives and predicted the fighting could wrap up in the near future.

“I think the war is very complete, pretty much,” Trump said, adding that he believes the conflict will be over “soon,” though not necessarily within days.

The United States has been supporting Israeli military operations and carrying out strikes against Iranian military targets, arguing the campaign is aimed at weakening Iran’s missile capabilities and regional military network.

Despite Trump’s optimism, rhetoric from Tehran suggests the conflict could intensify rather than wind down.

Iran has launched missile and drone attacks against Israeli targets and has threatened broader retaliation across the region, including against US military bases and shipping routes tied to global oil supplies.

Officials in Tehran have repeatedly said the war will continue until Israel stops its military operations and Iran’s leadership believes the country has responded forcefully enough.

The sharply different messages from Washington and Tehran highlight the uncertainty surrounding how long the conflict could last, as both sides signal they are prepared for further escalation.