United States President Donald Trump has declared the ceasefire with Iran effectively over following renewed military exchanges between US forces and the Islamic Republic.
Speaking during the NATO Summit in Ankara on Wednesday, Trump said he no longer had any interest in engaging with Tehran after the latest escalation.
His remarks came after the US carried out overnight strikes on Iranian targets, while Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed responsibility for attacks on American military bases across the Gulf region.
The renewed hostilities also pushed global oil prices up by about five percent.
“I think it’s over. I don’t want to deal with them anymore,” Trump said, describing Iran’s leadership in harsh terms and insisting they could not be trusted.
The US president maintained that Iran would use a nuclear weapon if it ever acquired one, adding that, from his perspective, the truce had come to an end.
Trump said he would still consult US envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner, who have been involved in talks with Tehran, but stressed that it was now up to Iran to return to negotiations.
He also accused Iranian officials of failing to honour commitments made under the ceasefire agreement signed on June 17.
According to Trump, both sides had agreed that Iran would not pursue nuclear weapons, but Iranian officials later denied discussing the issue publicly.
“Everyone agreed no nuclear weapon. We reached a deal, then they went outside and claimed we never even discussed it,” he said, adding that Iran’s conduct showed it could not be relied upon.
The latest developments mark another sharp deterioration in relations between Washington and Tehran, raising fresh concerns over stability in the Middle East and the security of global energy supplies.
