In brief
During a NATO meeting in Turkey, Donald Trump announced that the ceasefire agreement with Iran was over, labeling Iranian leaders scum, amid a fresh wave of U.S. and Iranian strikes that disrupted shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Oil traders reacted with a 6% surge, though prices remained below the highs seen during the standoff’s peak. Iranian parliamentary officials lauded Trump’s tone while accusing the U.S. of violating the May‑June Memorandum of Understanding. Analysts warn that Trump’s stance could complicate international mediation and deepen uncertainties in Middle Eastern security dynamics.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump announced today that the ceasefire agreement with Iran had ended.
Trump, speaking in a meeting with NATO’s Secretary‑General Mark Rutte ahead of the summit in Ankara, described the Iranian leadership as "scum" and "cuckoo", adding that the U.S. could continue talks, "if they want," but called them a waste of time.
The remarks came after a fresh exchange of strikes: the U.S. launched powerful air missions in response to three oil tankers hit in the Strait of Hormuz, while Iran targeted U.S. military sites in Bahrain and Kuwait on Wednesday.
Oil markets lapped the news upside, with prices climbing around 6 %—a spike that remains far below the peaks recorded during the earlier partial closure of the strait.
The conflict also prompted the United States to repeal its temporary suspension of sanctions on Iranian oil sales, a move that further tightens crude flows to the region.
Iran’s parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf decried the U.S. move as a breach of the Memorandum of Understanding signed on 17 June; the MoU called for a permanent end to military operations on all fronts and safe passage of commercial vessels for 60 days.
Ghalibaf pointed out that the U.S. “violated Iranian adjustments in the Strait” and called the U.S. a bully that would never fold, noting that previous Q&A had already highlighted such violations.
In an interview held before the start of funeral ceremonies for the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Trump replied to a question about resuming talks after the burial, “I don’t care.” The concession, when faced with diplomatic sensitivity, raised concerns about the future of any negotiations.
With the funeral rites currently taking place in Iraq and the final burial slated for Mashhad, the question of whether talks will resume remains uncertain. Analysts suggest that Trump’s explicit dismissal of further negotiations may undermine regional stability and complicate any diplomatic resolution to the ongoing U.S.–Iran standoff.
