President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he may no longer want a deal with Iran after declaring a fledgling U.S. ceasefire agreement “over” and warning that he could order more military attacks amid renewed violence around the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump Says Iran Deal May Be Over
“I’m not sure I want to make a deal with them,” Trump said at a press conference in Ankara, Turkey, where he was attending a NATO summit. “We can play games, but I’m not sure I want to make a deal,” he added. “Let’s just finish the job.”
Asked why he had soured so quickly on Iranian leaders after previously describing them as “smart,” “very rational” and “nice to deal with,” Trump replied, “I got to know ’em.” He said he still viewed Iran’s current leaders as more rational than earlier officials killed in the war that began Feb. 28, but added that “based on their actions over the last week or two,” they were not serving their people.
U.S. Strikes Follow Strait Shipping Attacks
The comments came as U.S. forces launched new strikes against Iran in response to attacks on commercial ships in or near the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for global energy trade. U.S. Central Command said the strikes aimed to degrade Iran’s ability to threaten navigation.
“The United States is holding Iran accountable for recent unjustified aggression against commercial shipping and civilian crews freely navigating a vital international waterway,” CENTCOM said in an X post.
Tehran attacked three commercial vessels on Tuesday, according to U.S. Central Command and a U.S.-led maritime group. Afterward, Washington revoked a sanctions waiver on Iranian oil sales that had formed part of last month’s temporary ceasefire deal and launched retaliatory strikes on Iranian military infrastructure and small boats.
Iran Blames Washington For Ceasefire Collapse
Iranian officials blamed Washington for the collapse. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said the U.S. had not learned that “bullying” and reneging on commitments have consequences. “If you strike, you will get hit back,” he said.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said the memorandum was based not on trust but on a “commitment for commitment” mechanism. He accused the U.S. of violating provisions related to future arrangements for the Strait of Hormuz and said Iran would protect its sovereignty and national interests.
Image via Shutterstock
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