US President Donald Trump has declared that the fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran is officially over.
Speaking at the Nato summit in Ankara, Turkey, alongside Nato Secretary-General Mark Rutte, the US President delivered a blistering assessment of the situation, effectively pronouncing the month-old memorandum of understanding (MoU) dead.
When asked by reporters if the truce had collapsed, Mr Trump replied: “To me, I think it’s over. I don’t want to deal with them anymore.”
He launched into a severe verbal assault on the Iranian leadership, labeling them “scum,” “sick,” and “liars.”
The president added that while American negotiators — specifically naming Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner — could technically continue discussions, he believed they were “wasting their time.”
He accused Iranian officials of negotiating in bad faith, claiming they would agree to terms behind closed doors only to deny those agreements immediately to the press.
Resurgence of Military Action
The diplomatic breakdown follows a major escalation in military hostilities. US Central Command confirmed it launched a fresh wave of intensive offensive strikes against Iranian targets.
The operation targeted air defence systems, command and control networks, coastal radar stations, and more than 60 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) small boats in the Strait of Hormuz.
Washington stated these strikes were direct retaliation after Iran allegedly targeted three commercial vessels transiting the vital shipping lane on Tuesday: the Marshall Islands-flagged M/T Al Rekayyat, the Saudi Arabia-flagged M/T Wedyan, and the Liberian-flagged M/T Cyprus Prosperity.
The US has also revoked temporary oil sanctions waivers previously granted under the brief truce.
In response to the American bombardment, Iran launched retaliatory rocket attacks targeting US military installations in Bahrain and Kuwait.
Mr Trump warned that further military actions are imminent, stating: “We’ll probably hit them hard again tonight.”
Nato Tensions Reignited
The sudden collapse of the truce heavily overshadowed the opening of the Nato summit, where alliance leaders had hoped to showcase a $50 billion (£37.5 billion) joint arms procurement package.
Instead, Mr Trump expressed deep frustration with European allies, accusing them of failing to support the US during its military campaign against Iran.
He specifically criticised European nations for denying American forces the use of their airspace and military bases for bombing missions.
The president also renewed previous geopolitical grievances, repeating his demands for US control over Greenland — prompting a firm response from Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who reiterated that the territory is not for sale — and threatening trade repercussions against Spain over defence spending.
Nato Secretary-General Mark Rutte sought to downplay the systemic friction, describing the disputes as “isolated cases” and defending the latest US strikes against Iran as “absolutely necessary” given Tehran’s violations of the initial ceasefire.
