TEHRAN: Iran warned on Sunday that any new war with the United States could last longer than the previous conflict and that US President Donald Trump would not be the one to determine its duration.

“A potential future war could last longer than previous conflict, and the American president would not be in a position to dictate the timing or the conditions of its conclusion,” said army spokesman Mohammad Akraminia, according to Iranian state television.

He was referring to the most intense phase of the fighting in the war that began on February 28 with US-Israeli strikes on Iran, killing the Islamic republic’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iran responded by launching missiles and drones across the region, while the militant groups it backs also entered the fray in Lebanon and Yemen.

Iran’s Defense Minister Mehrdad Akhlaghi on Sunday warned of a “proportionate, decisive, and impactful response” to any attack on the country, according to state TV.

“Those who pose threats will not dictate the scope, timing, or consequences of Iran’s defensive response,” he added.

Also on Sunday, Hossein Mohebbi, the spokesperson of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the ideological arm of Iran’s military, echoed the remarks made by the country’s new supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei in a written message the day before.

“In a conflict with America, there are no geographical limitations; a vast theater has been defined for inflicting damage upon the enemy,” Mohebbi said, according to state TV.

Meanwhile, Iranian negotiators were in Doha on Sunday for a third consecutive day of talks with Qatari mediators aimed at pushing for a ​deal to end the US-Israeli war on Iran, an official briefed on the discussions told Reuters.

The talks come amid concerns that the conflict could escalate again after the November 3 US midterm elections. President Donald Trump has said the United States will not launch new attacks on Iran before the vote and that talks with Tehran have been productive, though he has ‌not ruled ‌out further military action afterwards.

Iran’s Foreign Minister ​Abbas ‌Araghchi ⁠said ​on Sunday ⁠that the purpose of the “ongoing and progressing” talks was to continue consultations with the Qatari mediators, adding Tehran is prepared for “both defense and diplomacy.”

Speaking to state media, Araghchi said discussions on a “two-day proposal” were continuing, but that no final conclusion had been reached.