US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday, July 8, that the ceasefire with Iran was "over" following major exchanges of fire between US forces and Iran. Trump blasted the Islamic Republic as "scum" and "cuckoo" after Washington launched strikes on the country overnight and Iran's Guards said they had targeted US bases in the Gulf. Oil prices jumped 5% after Trump's remarks.
"I think it's over. I don't want to deal with them any more, they're scum," Trump said at a NATO summit in the Turkish capital Ankara when asked if the truce with Iran was now finished. "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." Trump later added: "As far as I'm concerned, it's over."
The Republican president said he would speak to businessman-turned-negotiator Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner, who have been dealing with the Iranians, but insisted it was up to Tehran to return to the table. "As far as I'm concerned, it's just a waste of time dealing with them. They're liars," he said.
Trump accused the Iranians of repeatedly misrepresenting what had been agreed in the ceasefire that Washington and Tehran signed on June 17. "Everyone's agreed, no nuclear weapon. We make a deal. They go outside, joke to the press, they say we never even talked about it. There's something wrong with them, they're cuckoo," Trump added.
US and Iran trade strikes
Hours before this announcement, Washington revoked sanction waivers on Iranian oil sales and launched new attacks on military sites in what the US military called retaliation for Iran's strikes on three commercial ships in Hormuz. Iranian state media reported a wave of explosions around the strait, including six on the island of Qeshm, seven in the city of Sirik and more in the major port city of Bandar Abbas.
The overnight strikes on Iran by US forces were "absolutely necessary," NATO chief Mark Rutte said on Wednesday as the alliance began a key summit in Ankara. "When you have a ceasefire and Iran is basically violating the ceasefire – we see what happened yesterday with ships being attacked – I think it is totally crucial that the US forcefully react," he told journalists.
Iran's threatened reply came quickly, with the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) saying they had hit dozens of US military facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait, in a statement carried by state broadcaster IRIB. US Central Command (CENTCOM) said its forces had struck over 80 targets, including Iranian air defense systems, coastal radar sites and 60 IRGC small boats. The strikes aimed "to degrade Iran's ability to continue attacking international commerce flowing through the international trade corridor," it said.
Iran's chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, accused the US of "major" breaches of their memorandum of understanding, including by reinstating oil sanctions and "violating Iranian adjustments in the Strait."
Early on Wednesday, Bahrain's interior ministry and the Kuwaiti army both reported their air defense systems were triggered, but did not offer details of any possible damage. The US strikes came shortly after Washington revoked a temporary sanctions waiver for Iranian oil, raising pressure on Tehran as it negotiates over a final settlement to the conflict.
The US Treasury Department canceled a license announced in June that had allowed Iran to produce, sell and deliver crude oil and related products through August 21.
Hormuz attacks
British maritime security agency UKMTO said Tuesday an "unknown projectile" hit a tanker near Hormuz, causing a fire, before two more vessels were struck, at least one by a drone. CENTCOM identified the ships as the Marshall Islands-flagged Al Rekayyat, the Saudi Arabia-flagged Wedyan and the Liberia-flagged Cyprus Prosperity.
All three vessels were struck close to Oman, which had proposed a temporary transit corridor hugging its coastline – an initiative opposed by Iran as it seeks to impose fees on ships using the narrow waterway.
The Al-Rekayyat is Qatari, and Doha denounced the "unacceptable" attack on international maritime navigation and summoned Iran's deputy ambassador to lodge a complaint. Iran voiced "dismay" over Qatar's accusations in a statement carried by state news agency IRNA, calling the claims "unacceptable."
Oil prices jumped more than 2% in early Asian trade on Wednesday to hit their highest levels in two weeks, as the renewed attacks reignited worries over global energy supplies and cast doubt on the durability of the US-Iran agreement.
Maritime traffic had tentatively resumed after Washington and Tehran signed the memorandum last month, but Iran has insisted there will be no return to pre-war arrangements, under which vessels could pass freely through the strait. Under the 14-point US-Iran memorandum, Iran and Oman, which border Hormuz, must hold talks "to define the future administration and maritime services" in the waterway with other Gulf states.
Qatar had previously refused to mediate under Iranian fire as Tehran launched an unprecedented aerial bombardment against Gulf states in retaliation for the US-Israeli strikes. But Doha has since taken a more active role, hosting indirect talks between Iran and the United States last week.