US President Donald Trump has said the interim memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Iran is “over,” but he will allow talks to continue. Trump’s remarks came hours after the United States launched massive strikes on Iranian assets in the port cities of Bandar Abbas and Sirik, as well as on Qeshm Island, in retaliation for what it said were Tehran’s attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
Washington has also revoked a license authorizing the sale of Iranian oil.
Tehran has hit back with strikes on Bahrain and Kuwait, risking the interim agreement to halt fighting in the war could break down and drag the Middle East again into a wider conflict.
What Trump Said
“For me, I think it’s over. I don’t want to deal with them anymore,” Trump responded when asked about the status of the ceasefire. “It’s just a waste of time dealing with them.”
“They’re scum. You know what scum is? They’re scum. They’re sick people. They’re led by sick people. And they’re vicious, violent people. And if they had a nuclear weapon, they’d use it. As far as I’m concerned, it’s over,” he added.
The US leader made the comment on the sidelines of the two-day NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, and hours after striking Iran in what the US described as retaliation for strikes on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump added that US representatives can continue negotiations, but he cast doubt on the outcome. “They can talk, but I think they’re wasting their time,” he said.
US Strikes Iran
Earlier, reports claimed the Tuesday US airstrikes against Iranian military targets in the area of the Strait of Hormuz have been “four or five times bigger in scope and power” than any previous attacks carried out ten days ago. Officials said the strikes were the most intense US attacks on Iran since the April ceasefire and risk plunging Tehran and Washington into a new cycle of retaliation.
An official told CNN that strikes were “punishment” for Iran for attacks on commercial ships near the contested waterway. They came during the dayslong funeral for Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed February 28 in the war’s first moments.
The funeral, which ends Thursday, was supposed to be a period of lower tensions — though mourners have repeatedly called for the killings of US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Negotiations to reach a final deal had been due to start after Khamenei’s burial and focus on the toughest matters, including fully reopening the strait and rolling back Tehran’s disputed nuclear program. But the new attacks throw that into question, though neither country immediately signalled they’d walk away from the negotiating table.
Iran’s Warning
Iranian state media reported explosions in several locations, including in Bandar Mahshahr, where a Guard member was killed. It also reported attacks on Bushehr, home to Iran’s nuclear power plant complex.
Responding to the strikes, the Iranian leadership warned that Iran won’t fold and is ready to give a “crushing response.”
Taking to X, Parliament speaker and chief negotiator with the US, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, condemned the recent strikes, claiming they led nowhere.
“Major MOU Violations by the US: Violating Iranian adjustments in the Strait. Persistent threats of further strikes. Reinstating oil sanctions. Attacks on southern Iran. Continued Zionist aggression on Lebanon. The era of bullying and extortion is over. It leads nowhere. We don’t fold,” he wrote in a post.
The Khatam-al-Anbiya Central Headquarters also strongly condemned the US strikes in southern Iran, labeling them a “blatant act of aggression”.
In a statement, the Iranian military warned that its armed forces will deliver a “crushing response” to the US actions. The military said Iran will not allow any outside interference in the management of the Strait of Hormuz.
“It is reiterated that the only safe passage for commercial ships and oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz is the route designated by the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the military added.
Iran Attacks Gulf Nations
Later, both Bahrain, home to the US Navy’s 5th Fleet, and Kuwait, home to US Army forces, sounded missile alerts. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard issued a statement acknowledging targeting US military installations in both countries.
Anwar Gargash, a senior diplomat in the United Arab Emirates, called Iran’s attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait “a clear indicator that Tehran remains incapable of committing to the requirements of de-escalation and turning the page on war.”