US President Donald Trump on Tuesday declared that the interim memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Washington and Tehran was effectively “over,” while indicating that diplomatic engagement with Iran could still continue despite escalating military hostilities.
The remarks came hours after the United States launched large-scale strikes on Iranian military assets in the southern port cities of Bandar Abbas and Sirik, as well as on Qeshm Island. According to US officials, the operation was carried out in response to recent attacks on commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
.@POTUS on the status of the ceasefire with Iran: “To me, I think it’s over. I don’t want to deal with them anymore. They’re scum… They’re led by sick people… I’ll speak to our negotiators. They want to negotiate—they’re good people… but they have to come back to me. As far… pic.twitter.com/6eYfwMxSdn
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) July 8, 2026
The latest escalation has further strained already fragile ties between the two countries, with Iran retaliating by targeting US military installations in Bahrain and Kuwait, raising fears that the temporary agreement aimed at containing the conflict could collapse.
Trump questions future of interim agreement
Speaking on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, Trump said he no longer believed the interim understanding with Iran had any future.
“For me, I think it’s over. I don’t want to deal with them anymore. It’s just a waste of time dealing with them,” Trump told reporters.
The US President also launched a scathing attack on Iran’s leadership, accusing it of pursuing nuclear weapons and suggesting further negotiations may not yield results.
While expressing little confidence in diplomacy, Trump stopped short of ending talks altogether.
“They can talk, but I think they’re wasting their time,” he said, indicating that US negotiators remain free to continue discussions with Iranian counterparts.
US expands pressure on Iran
Besides the military operation, Washington has revoked a licence that had permitted limited sales of Iranian oil, signalling a renewed tightening of economic pressure on Tehran.
According to US officials quoted by CNN, the latest strikes were significantly larger than previous operations conducted earlier this month and were intended as retaliation for attacks on merchant ships near the Strait of Hormuz.
The strikes took place during the funeral ceremonies of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, whose death earlier this year had prompted a pause in planned negotiations between the two countries.
Before the latest military action, officials had expected talks to resume after the funeral, focusing on reopening the Strait of Hormuz to unrestricted commercial shipping and addressing Iran’s nuclear programme. The renewed exchange of attacks has now cast uncertainty over that process.
Iran vows retaliation
Iranian state media reported explosions in several parts of the country’s south, including Bandar Mahshahr and Bushehr. The reports said a member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was killed in one of the attacks.
Senior Iranian leaders condemned the US strikes, describing them as violations of the interim understanding.
Parliament Speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf accused Washington of undermining diplomatic efforts through military action, renewed sanctions and continued pressure on Iran.
Meanwhile, the Khatam-al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, which coordinates Iran’s armed forces, denounced the US operation as a “blatant act of aggression” and warned that Tehran would respond decisively.
Iranian military officials also reiterated that only shipping routes designated by Tehran should be used by commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, repeating earlier warnings issued to international shipping companies.
Iran targets US facilities in Gulf
Hours after the US operation, Bahrain and Kuwait activated missile alerts as Iran launched retaliatory strikes targeting US military facilities in both countries.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) later confirmed that it had targeted American military installations in the two Gulf states.
Reacting to the developments, senior UAE diplomat Anwar Gargash said the attacks demonstrated that Iran remained unwilling to pursue meaningful de-escalation, warning that the latest exchange of strikes risked reigniting a broader regional conflict.
Why it matters
The latest military escalation has placed the future of US-Iran diplomacy in doubt at a time when negotiations were expected to address two critical issues: restoring secure navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and advancing discussions on Iran’s nuclear programme.
With military action continuing alongside diplomatic uncertainty, concerns are growing that the conflict could once again spill across the Gulf, threatening regional security and global energy supplies.
