US President Donald Trump said Wednesday the ceasefire with Iran was "over" after the two sides traded fire, but added that negotiators could keep talking to Tehran.Trump called Iran "scum" and "cuckoo" after the US launched strikes on the country overnight and Iran's Guards said they had targeted US bases in the Gulf.Oil prices jumped five per cent 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.News that makes senseYour trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox."As far as I'm concerned, it's over."Trump 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."Frankly, I don't want to waste my time with them. Now, I'll let our wonderful negotiators keep talking if they want, but I don't see it," Trump said."As far as I'm concerned, it's just a waste of time dealing with them. They're liars."Trump accused the Iranians of repeatedly misrepresenting what had been agreed in the ceasefire that Washington and Tehran signed on 17 June. Iran also accuses the United States of violating the memorandum of understanding to halt the war."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.NATO chief Mark Rutte, with whom Trump was meeting when he made the comments, backed the US strikes on Iran."I think what you did last night was absolutely necessary. It was a very strong response, and I'm with you on this," Rutte told reporters.But despite Rutte's efforts to placate Trump — whom he called "Daddy" at a NATO summit last year — the US leader again hit out at NATO for failing to get involved in the Iran war."I'm not happy with NATO because of the fact that they didn't want to help us with the number one state sponsor of terror, that's Iran. They were unwilling to help us," Trump said."I spoke with UK, and the prime minister said, 'well, we don't want to help you now, but we'll help you when the war is over.' I said that's not good. And likewise, I spoke to Germany, they didn't want to help. Spoke to France, didn't want to help."The US military said it had struck over 80 targets including Iranian speedboats in response to Iranian attacks on ships in the vital Strait of Hormuz.Iran's top joint military command, Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, condemned the US strikes as a "blatant act of aggression," threatened a "crushing response," and warned that Tehran would not allow US interference in the management of the strait.Iran's Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said on Wednesday they had targeted US military sites in Bahrain and Kuwait and that they had shot down a US MQ-9 drone attempting to interfere in the operation.A top Iranian negotiator, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, accused the US of breaching the ceasefire agreement. He cited not only the latest US military strikes, but renewed oil sanctions, violations of Iranian "adjustments" in the Strait of Hormuz, and Israeli attacks against Lebanon."The era of bullying and extortion is over," Ghalibaf said in a post on X. "We don't fold."For the latest from SBS News, download our app and subscribe to our newsletter.
Trump says interim accord to end war with Iran is 'over ' but negotiators could keep talking
Renewed hostilities between the US and Iran have also heightened safety and security concerns around the Strait of Hormuz.










