In brief
In a statement ahead of a NATO summit, U.S. President Donald Trump declared the ceasefire agreement with Iran to be finished, calling the Iranian leadership “scum” and “cuckoo.” The U.S. and Iran exchanged midnight strikes following the attack on oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, prompting U.S. forces to respond and Iran to hit U.S. sites in Bahrain and Kuwait. Oil markets climbed about 6% after Trump’s remarks, and Washington revoked its temporary lift on sanctions for Iranian oil sales. The U.S. and Iran have paused talks during the funeral of late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with Trump dismissing further negotiations as “a waste of time.”
US President Donald Trump declared the ceasefire agreement with Iran to be “over” on Friday, condemning the Iranian leadership as “scum” and “cuckoo” after a fresh wave of strikes exchanged overnight.
Speaking ahead of a NATO summit in Turkey, Trump said U.S. negotiators could continue talks if they “want”, but he viewed the engagement as a “waste of time.”
The clash began after three oil tankers were attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, prompting the U.S. Central Command to launch “powerful” strikes against Iranian targets. In retaliation, Iran struck U.S. military sites in Bahrain and Kuwait.
Oil prices surged by roughly 6% following Trump’s remarks, though they still sit below the highs seen during the full closure of the Strait.
Trump also announced the U.S. had lifted its temporary suspension of sanctions on Iranian oil sales, signalling a hard‑line stance that could further strain the fragile truce.
Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, accused the U.S. of violating the memorandum of understanding signed in June, calling the Iraqi‑Iran escalations “bullying” and “extortion.”
The last truce, signed on 17 June, was meant to eliminate all military operations and allow commercial vessels to navigate the Strait safely for 60 days.
Negotiations paused during ceremonies for the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, whose funeral will take place in Mashhad on Thursday. Trump responded to a question on resuming talks, saying, “I don’t care.”
