U.S. Energy Secretary Says War with Iran Could End in “A Few Weeks”

Iranwire – Chris Wright, the United States Secretary of Energy, said on Sunday, March 15, that he expects the war between the U.S. and Iran to end within “a few weeks” at most. According to him, once the conflict ends, oil supplies will increase and energy prices will fall.

Speaking in an interview with ABC News, Wright said: “I think this conflict will definitely be over in the next few weeks; it might even end sooner. But either way, it ends in the next few weeks, and then we’ll see supply move back up and prices move down.”

His remarks come as oil and gas prices continue to climb in global markets. Since the conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran began, the Strait of Hormuz, which serves as the transit route for roughly 20% of the world’s oil, has effectively been closed. The United States is now trying to secure safe passage through the waterway.

Chris Wright is a central figure in the Trump administration’s “energy dominance” strategy. His prediction that the war will be short suggests that Washington believes Iran’s military ability to sustain high-intensity fighting has been severely weakened after the February 28 strikes and the heavy bombardment of the Kharg Island oil terminal.

At the same time, Abbas Araghchi, the Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic, said in an interview with the American network CBS that Iran has never asked for a ceasefire or negotiations.

He said: “We are ready to defend ourselves for as long as necessary. We have done so until now, and we will continue until President Trump concludes that this is an illegal and unwinnable war. As you know, people are being killed only because President Trump wants to be entertained.”

A day earlier, the U.S. President had said he might order another attack on Kharg Island “for fun.”

The exchange between the two sides reflects the increasingly hostile tone of the conflict. Araghchi’s claim that people are dying for Trump’s “entertainment” appears aimed at portraying the United States as an unpredictable aggressor to an international audience. Meanwhile, Trump’s “for fun” remark, likely intended as psychological bravado, is being used by Tehran to fuel nationalist sentiment at home.

Responding to questions about attacks on civilian facilities in neighboring countries, the Iranian Foreign Minister rejected the allegations. He said: “We only target American assets, American facilities, and American military bases. Everything targeted belongs to America. The reality is that the soil of these countries is being used [against us].”

Araghchi also claimed there are “many” examples of this, adding: “Just yesterday, they attacked our islands with HIMARS artillery rockets, which have a short range, and used UAE soil to attack us. About a week ago, three F-15 fighters were reportedly downed in Kuwait by friendly fire. But no one asks what they were doing in Kuwait. They were using the airspace of a neighboring and friendly country to attack us. Therefore, it is obvious that we cannot remain silent regarding this matter.”

Through these remarks, Araghchi appears to be justifying Iranian strikes on neighboring countries such as the UAE and Kuwait by arguing that they have effectively given up their neutrality by hosting U.S. military forces. His reference to HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) is particularly notable, as it suggests that the United States may have deployed land-based precision rocket systems close to Iran’s coastline, possibly as part of preparations for broader military operations.

On Saturday, U.S. President Donald Trump called on other countries to join efforts to secure the Strait of Hormuz.

Responding to this, Araghchi said: “We are ready to talk with countries that speak to us about the safe passage of their ships. This matter depends on the decision of our military forces.” He added that several countries have already contacted Iran about the issue, though he did not name them.