US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the memorandum of understanding signed with Iran to end the conflict was “over,” after Washington launched fresh military strikes on Tehran and revoked a licence allowing Iranian oil sales.
Speaking ahead of a NATO summit in Ankara, Trump said he did not want to engage further with Iran, as the fragile interim ceasefire agreement continued to unravel.
Trump said the memorandum of understanding, which had previously halted fighting between the United States and Iran, was no longer meaningful.
“To me, I think it’s over. I don’t want to deal with them,” Trump said alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
He used harsh language for Iranian leaders, calling them “scum” and “sick people.” “They’re led by sick people,” Trump said. “As far as I’m concerned, it’s just a waste of time dealing with them.”
US president says talks are ‘waste of time’
Trump accused Iran of denying key parts of the understanding after talks had taken place.
“We make a deal, everyone’s agreed, no nuclear weapon. We make a deal, they go outside, talk to the press, they say we never even talked about it,” Trump said.
Also Read: US strikes over 80 Iran targets near Hormuz
“There’s something wrong with them. They’re cuckoo. As far as I’m concerned, it’s over,” he added.
Trump said Iran could still talk, but in his view, Tehran was “wasting their time.”
Islamabad-brokered ceasefire faces collapse
The interim ceasefire agreement between Washington and Tehran was signed under the mediation of Pakistan. The agreement was meant to provide a 60-day window for negotiations on a permanent settlement to the conflict.
However, indirect talks in Qatar ended without any sign of progress, while the US military launched a new wave of strikes against Iran on Tuesday.
The latest escalation has placed the diplomatic understanding between the two sides under severe strain.
US revokes Iran oil sales licence
The United States also revoked a licence that had allowed Iran to sell oil after three tankers were hit by projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz.
Under the interim US-Iran arrangement, the US Treasury had issued a licence allowing the sale of crude oil and petrochemical and petroleum products of Iranian origin until August 21.
Also Read: Iran attacks US bases in Bahrain, Kuwait after fresh strikes
By revoking that licence on Tuesday, Washington gave Iran until July 17 to wind down any remaining transactions.
The move marked another major blow to the fragile ceasefire framework.
Fresh US strikes deepen tensions
The United States unleashed new military strikes on Iran in response to attacks on three tankers. The strikes came as the war remained deeply unpopular in Europe and as NATO leaders gathered in the Turkish capital.
Trump, speaking at the NATO summit, said the memorandum was effectively finished.
“It’s a very interesting question. To me, I think it’s over. I don’t want to deal with them,” he said when asked whether the memorandum was over.
Trump orders trade action against Spain
During the same remarks in Ankara, Trump also said he had ordered Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to cut off trade ties with Spain.
He called Madrid a “terrible partner” in NATO.
Also Read: Oil up over 3% as US and Iran trade strikes
The comments came as the summit was already dominated by the escalating US-Iran confrontation and the future of the ceasefire agreement.
Iran says US actions weakened ceasefire
Iran’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that recent US actions, including the revocation of Iran’s oil sales licence and the new military strikes, had made parts of the current ceasefire “ineffective.”
Tehran said US interference in Iran’s arrangements for clearing passage through the Strait of Hormuz was making the interim truce deal unworkable.
The Iranian statement also warned regional countries, many of which host US military bases and personnel, not to allow their territory to be used for new American attacks on Iran.
The statement was issued hours after Iran said it had launched missile and drone strikes against US targets in Bahrain and Kuwait.
