U.S. President Donald Trump declared on Wednesday that the interim ceasefire with Iran is officially “over,” following a dramatic flare-up of hostilities sparked by Iranian attacks on commercial vessels in the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking to reporters at the opening of the NATO summit in Ankara alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Trump delivered a scathing assessment of the agreement signed on June 17, which had briefly halted the conflict that erupted earlier this year. ”I think it’s over.
I don’t want to deal with them anymore,” Trump said when asked if the truce remained intact. “As far as I’m concerned, it’s just a waste of time dealing with them. They’re liars.” “Everyone’s agreed, no nuclear weapon. We make a deal,” Trump added.
“They go outside, joke to the press, they say we never even talked about it… There’s something wrong with them.” The collapse of the fragile peace agreement follows a rapid escalation over the last 48 hours in the world’s most vital oil transit corridor.
The latest crisis began when Iranian forces struck at least three commercial ships navigating the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran has increasingly insisted on aggressive control of the waterway, threatening vessels that deviate from its authorized routes.
In response to the shipping attacks, the U.S. military launched a massive wave of overnight strikes targeting more than 80 Iranian military positions around the strait. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards retaliated with widespread strikes, targeting U.S. bases in the Gulf, alongside attacks near Bahrain and Kuwait.
Iranian state media reported numerous explosions in key port cities, including Bandar Abbas and Bushehr. The sudden dissolution of the peace framework immediately rattled global energy markets. Oil prices surged by 5% following the President’s remarks, reaching their highest levels in two weeks as traders braced for prolonged instability and disruptions to regional shipping.
While Trump noted that his senior negotiators, including Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff could continue talking if they wished, he expressed deep skepticism about achieving a permanent diplomatic settlement, accusing Iranian officials of repeatedly misrepresenting past negotiations to the press.
