Zinke says Iran War could end in just a few weeks
CHRIS PETERSON | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 14 hours, 15 minutes AGO
Congressman Ryan Zinke talks with Al Kale of Kalispell at the Blue Moon in this file photo.
Chris Peterson is the editor of the Hungry Horse News. He covers Columbia Falls, the Canyon, Glacier National Park and the Bob Marshall Wilderness. All told, about 4 million acres of the best parts of the planet. He can be reached at [email protected] or 406-892-2151. | March 13, 2026 12:00 AM
Congressman Ryan Zinke spoke to the Iran War while visiting Kalispell this week, saying he supported President Donald Trump’s decision to strike the country.
“I have a lot of friends that aren’t here because of Iran,” said Zinke, a former Navy SEAL.
He described Iran as a terrorist regime closing in on nuclear capabilities.
He said Trump, “gave them a deal and they didn’t take it.”
Zinke said Iran’s new leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was the “same person, different face.”
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the first days of the war, which is now in its second week.
Trump has projected the war could go on four or five weeks.
When the congressman was asked if he thought it could end that soon, he said “Yes, I do.”
Zinke said the war also illustrated the United States' need for energy independence.
A Republican, Zinke is not seeking reelection in the fall. Citing health concerns, he announced his impending retirement last week.
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