ANKARA, Turkey – U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday declared that the interim agreement between the United States and Iran aimed at ending their recent conflict was effectively over, saying he no longer wanted to negotiate with Tehran and warning that Washington was prepared to launch additional military strikes if necessary.
Speaking ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, Trump said the memorandum of understanding brokered by Pakistan had failed to produce meaningful progress toward a permanent settlement after indirect negotiations in Qatar stalled.
“To me, I think it’s over. I don’t want to deal with them,” Trump told reporters. He also described Iran’s leadership in harsh terms, saying continued engagement with Tehran would be “a waste of time.”
Trump’s remarks came after a sharp escalation in hostilities between the two countries. According to Reuters, Iran launched missile and drone attacks against U.S. military facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait following a new wave of American strikes targeting Iranian military assets. The U.S. military later carried out further attacks, reportedly striking more than 60 vessels belonging to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), military infrastructure, and the strategic Kharg Island oil export hub.
The U.S. president also warned that additional military action remained likely. “We’ll probably hit them again,” Trump said, adding that any further attacks would depend on Iran’s actions.
The latest developments mark a significant setback for the interim ceasefire arrangement signed in June, which had created a 60-day window for negotiations intended to reduce tensions and revive diplomatic efforts over Iran’s nuclear program. The talks, conducted indirectly through mediators in Qatar, ended without a breakthrough.
In another move signaling the collapse of the agreement, the United States revoked a Treasury license that had temporarily allowed Iran to export crude oil and petroleum products through August. The Treasury Department ordered transactions under the license to be wound down by July 17.
Iran has accused Washington of violating the ceasefire through its latest military operations and has vowed a strong response. Iranian officials have maintained that the country will not negotiate under threats, while the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed responsibility for retaliatory attacks on U.S. positions in the Gulf.
The renewed conflict has rattled global financial markets. Oil prices surged by about 5 percent amid concerns over possible disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway that carries roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply. Investors also shifted toward safe-haven assets as fears of a broader regional conflict intensified.
Despite Trump’s declaration that the accord was “over,” Reuters reported that he did not completely rule out future diplomatic contacts, suggesting that U.S. officials could still communicate with Iran through intermediaries even if he personally no longer wished to engage directly.
Edgardo Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
- EDGARDO HERNAL
- EDGARDO HERNAL
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