Trump Declares US-Iran Ceasefire 'Over' After Overnight Strikes, Says Talks Are 'A Waste of Time'
SCN NEWS DESK
ANKARA, Turkey — President Donald Trump declared Wednesday that the interim ceasefire between the United States and Iran is effectively over after both sides exchanged fresh military strikes overnight, marking the most serious collapse of diplomatic efforts since the memorandum aimed at ending the conflict was signed last month.
Speaking alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte during the NATO summit in Ankara, Trump said he no longer believed diplomacy with Tehran was worthwhile.
"I don't want to deal with them anymore. They're scum... They're sick people... As far as I'm concerned, it's over."
The president added that negotiators could continue discussions if they wished, but he believed they were "wasting their time."
The remarks came hours after the U.S. military launched strikes on more than 80 Iranian targets, saying the operation was retaliation for attacks on three commercial oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. Washington has also revoked a license that had allowed Iran to continue certain oil exports.
Iran responded by announcing missile and drone attacks targeting U.S. military facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait. While Tehran has denied direct responsibility for the tanker attacks, Iranian officials accused Washington of violating the ceasefire first.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte defended the American operation, calling the strikes "absolutely necessary" and arguing that Iran had effectively violated the ceasefire through renewed attacks. Meanwhile, Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf blamed Washington for destroying the truce.
The diplomatic breakdown is particularly significant because Washington and Tehran signed a 14-page memorandum of understanding in June designed to extend the ceasefire while negotiators pursued a broader agreement covering regional security, sanctions, maritime navigation, and Iran's nuclear program. Trump's latest comments now cast serious doubt over whether those negotiations will continue.
Financial markets reacted immediately, with oil prices jumping sharply as investors worried that renewed fighting could once again threaten shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important energy corridors.