Live! Trump says Iran war goals near completion, vows to ‘finish the job’ soon

Oil rises, Asian stocks fall following Trump's primetime address

Oil rose more than 4 per cent and Asian stocks fell after US President Donald Trump said in his first national address since the Iran war began that the US will keep hitting Iran very hard.

Trump also said the United States will “finish the job” in Iran and that military operations could wrap up soon.

Tokyo's Nikkei 225 was down 1.4 per cent to 53,004.81 in early Asia trading on Thursday. South Korea's Kospi lost 3.4 per cent to 5,292.36. Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 0.8 per cent to 25,082.59.

US futures were down more than 0.7 per cent.

Oil prices were sharply higher following Trump's remarks. Brent crude, the international standard, jumped 5 per cent to USD 106.22 per barrel. Benchmark US crude rose 4.2 per cent to USD 104.36 a barrel. 

Rubio calls Trump’s Iran speech “powerful,” says it clearly outlines US objectives

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised Donald Trump's “powerful” speech, saying it reflected the US objectives on Iran clearly.

Iran no longer a threat, we have all the cards: Trump

President Donald Trump said Iran no longer poses a significant threat, asserting that the US holds the upper hand as its military campaign nears completion.

“Iran is really no longer a threat,” Trump said, adding, “We have all the cards, they have none.”

He reiterated that US forces are close to wrapping up their objectives in the conflict. "We are on track to complete all of America’s military objectives, shortly, very shortly," he said.

US to complete all military objectives ‘shortly’

Trump said the US is close to meeting its military objectives in Iran, adding that operations will intensify over the next two to three weeks while talks continue in parallel.

Trump says US on cusp of ending Iran threat, promises freedom from ‘nuclear blackmail’

 US President Donald Trump said that Americans can look forward to a day of being “finally free” of Iranian aggression and nuclear “blackmail”.

“Because of the actions we have taken, we are on the cusp of ending Iran's sinister threat to America and the world,” Trump said.

Not sure if people in US have patience' for Iran war to continue: Trump

US President Donald Trump Wednesday said he is not sure if people in the US have patience' for the Iran war to continue. His private remarks at an Easter lunch at the White House seemed to reflect the domestic pressure the president is feeling to wrap up the war.

He said the US could “very easily” take Iran's oil but said it “is unfortunate” that there did not seem to be patience among the American people for such an effort. “They want to see it end,” he said.

Trump said he would prefer to take Iran's oil “but people in the country sort of say, Just win. You're winning so big. Just win. Come home.' And I'm OK with that too,” he said.

Video of the speech was posted online by a Business Insider reporter who said he noticed the White House had uploaded video of the closed-press event and downloaded it before it was later made private. The White House did not respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press on why it took the video down.

During the private lunch US President Donald Trump Wednesday said China, Japan and South Korea should be involved in opening Strait of Hormuz.

Trump threatens to target Iran's electric generating plants if no deal made

Issuing a fresh warning to Iran, US President Donald Trump said: “If there is no deal, we are going to hit each and every one of their electric generating plants very hard, and probably simultaneously.”

Trump warns of intensified strikes on Iran, says oil targets possible as talks continue

The US will intensify its military campaign against Iran over the coming weeks, even as talks continue behind the scenes, said Trump.

"We’re going to hit them extremely hard over the next two to three weeks," Trump said. He added that Iranian oil infrastructure remains a possible target, saying the US “could hit their oil” if needed.

At the same time, the US President said diplomatic channels remain open, noting that discussions are ongoing as Washington weighs its next steps.

US doesn't need Hormuz, says Trump, then warns 'betrayers'

Donald Trump said the United States does not rely on the Strait of Hormuz and suggested countries he described as “betrayers” should instead purchase oil from th US.

“We haven’t needed the Hormuz Strait, and we don’t need it,” Trump said, downplaying the strategic importance of the key shipping route amid the ongoing conflict with Iran.

He added that the waterway would reopen on its own once hostilities end. “When the conflict is over, the strait will open up naturally,” he said.

Trump urges nations to buy US oil, suggests securing Strait of Hormuz amid blockade

The US President has offered countries facing issues getting fuel to buy oil from the US instead. “We have plenty. We have so much,” Trump said, further suggesting another option: “Build up some delayed courage, should have done it before, should have done it with us, as we asked. Go to the straight and just take it, protect it. Use it for yourselves." Trump was referring to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.