While speaking at a two-day NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, President Donald Trump stated that the ceasefire between the United States and Iran is over. The remarks come after the United States launched its most significant barrage of strikes on Iranian targets since a memorandum of understanding (MOU) was agreed to last month, which were launched in response to Iranian attacks on commercial vessels.
U.S. Central Command said the strikes responded to Iranian attacks on commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz. According to reports from various maritime agencies, Iran struck at least three ships, including a Saudi-flagged crude tanker and others that sustained damage from projectiles.
U.S. forces targeted more than 80 Iranian military sites, including air defense systems, radars, missile-related facilities, and IRGC boats in locations such as Bandar Abbas, Bushehr, and other locations in southern Iran. Iran responded with missile and drone strikes on U.S. military sites in Bahrain and Kuwait.
While speaking with reporters in Ankara, President Trump addressed the strikes and indicated that he was done negotiating with the Iranian regime, whom he accused of operating in bad faith throughout the entire negotiating period.
“For me? I think it’s over. I don’t want to deal with them anymore. They’re scum,” Trump said. He added that Iranian leaders are “liars, they’re cheats. They’re sick people.”
Trump further described the situation as “a waste of time” and added, “As far as I’m concerned, it’s over.”
Trump noted that his negotiators could continue speaking with Iranian counterparts if they wished, describing those U.S. officials as “good people,” but he expressed strong skepticism about Iran’s approach to agreements.
President Trump declared that the ceasefire with Iran is over: “To me, I think it’s over. I don’t want to deal with them… They’re scum. They’re sick people.”
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The ceasefire Trump referenced formed part of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, signed on June 17, by the United States and Iran following mediation involving Pakistan and other parties. The document established a 60-day period for negotiations aimed at reaching a final agreement to end the broader conflict.
Key elements included arrangements for maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a temporary halt to hostilities, and discussions on related issues such as sanctions and the dismantling of Iran’s nuclear program.
Earlier in 2026, the United States and Iran had agreed to an initial two-week ceasefire in April, which Trump later extended. A subsequent 60-day framework was put in place in June under the memorandum to allow time for comprehensive talks.
Both sides had reported intermittent violations of prior truce arrangements during this period, though Tuesday’s strikes constituted the most severe U.S. response since the ceasefire took effect.
Trump also indicated that the United States intends to pursue the denuclearization of Iran. He compared aspects of the Iranian leadership to a medical issue requiring early intervention, stating in broader comments that such problems must be addressed promptly.
In the context of the memorandum, the United States had previously granted certain oil-related concessions, which were later withdrawn following the recent ship attacks. Iran had sought greater involvement in managing traffic and fees in the Strait of Hormuz, positions that the Trump Administration unequivocally rejected in favor of unrestricted international navigation.
