EditTrump says Iran deal ‘over’ as U.S. launches new strikes on Tehran
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, the U.S. President described Iranian leaders in harsh terms, calling them “scum” and “sick people”
U.S. President Donald Trump declared the memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the conflict with Iran “over” on Wednesday, as American forces carried out a fresh round of strikes against Iranian targets in response to attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the NATO summit in the Turkish capital Ankara, Trump said: “To me, I think it’s over. I don’t want to deal with them.” He described Iranian leaders in harsh terms, calling them “scum” and “sick people” in some reports, while noting that negotiators could “keep talking if they want.”
The comments came hours after the U.S. military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) announced it had completed a new round of precision strikes on 7 July, hitting more than 80 Iranian targets. These included air defence systems, command-and-control networks, coastal radar sites, anti-ship missile capabilities, and over 60 small boats operated by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
CENTCOM said the strikes were a direct response to Iran’s attacks on commercial vessels transiting the strategic waterway, including a Saudi tanker and a Qatari LNG carrier that caught fire. The U.S. also reimposed sanctions blocking Iran’s ability to sell crude oil openly on world markets.
Iran retaliated with strikes targeting Bahrain and Kuwait, and claimed attacks on U.S. military sites in the region. Tehran accused Washington of violating the earlier interim agreement reached last month.
Escalation amid fragile truce
The exchange of strikes marks a significant escalation, raising doubts about the fragile ceasefire and memorandum of understanding that had paused major hostilities following earlier rounds of fighting. Oil prices jumped following the developments and Trump’s remarks.
The NATO summit in Ankara, hosted by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, was already set against a backdrop of tensions over defence spending and the Iran conflict. Trump has repeatedly criticized some European allies for insufficient support in the campaign against Iran.
U.S. officials emphasized that the strikes were defensive in nature and aimed at degrading Iran’s ability to threaten international shipping. No U.S. casualties were reported.
Markets reacted quickly, with oil prices rising and some equity indices declining amid fears of broader regional instability.
Further details on the extent of damage from the strikes and Iran’s response were still emerging as of early Wednesday.
“Weapon of mass disruption”
Ellie Geranmayeh, Deputy Programme Director at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) noted that the core tension is not Iran’s nuclear programme but the precise operation of the Strait of Hormuz during the 60-day MoU window.
According to him, Iran is unwilling to relinquish its leverage over the waterway – described as its “weapon of mass disruption” – before securing broader U.S. economic relief, and has rejected a U.S.-backed southern route through Omani waters that would bypass Iranian-controlled areas. Tehran has asserted its position through reported attacks on ships this week. For Washington, the large-scale strikes inside Iran served both as retaliation and as a deterrent to future disruptions. Trump views the reopening of the Strait as central to the MoU; without it, he faces mounting pressure from Republican hawks to resume full-scale conflict.
Thus ECFR warns that neither side has viable alternatives to the diplomatic track, and urged urgent mediation to establish a temporary transit protocol – such as a joint Omani-Iranian control centre authorising safe passage on either the northern or southern routes – until a more permanent, regionally backed solution can be reached.
This breaking news summary draws from reporting by Reuters, CENTCOM statements, CNN, ECFR
Caption: US President Donald Trump (C), along with world leaders, prepares for a group photo during the 2026 NATO Summit in Ankara, Turkey, 8 July 2026. The NATO Summit takes place from 07-08 July. EPA/GEORGI LICOVSKI
Updated: July 8, 2026 - 14:15
