Donald Trump says the Iran ceasefire deal is “over”, adding that negotiations with Tehran are a “waste of time”. | Today’s news
US President Donald Trump said the ceasefire deal with Iran is “finished” and called further negotiations with Tehran a “waste of time” after a fresh escalation of tensions.
His remarks came after air raid sirens rang out across Bahrain and Kuwait, while Iran claimed it had targeted 85 US military installations in retaliation for attacks on its Hormozgan province and the port city of Mahshahr.
Speaking to reporters at the NATO summit in Ankara, Trump said the United States had hit Iran “very hard” and warned that Washington would respond to any further attacks. “I told them every time you hit, we hit,” he said.
He accused Iran of being “dirty players” and said it was a “cancer” that must be removed soon. Calling Iran’s government leaders “evil people, sick people,” Trump said, “…we’ve got to get rid of that cancer… You’ve got to get rid of the cancer soon.
“I don’t want to deal with them, but they’re scum,” Trump said. “You know what scum is? They’re scum. They’re sick people, they’re led by sick people, and they’re evil, violent people, and if they had a nuclear weapon, they’d use it.”
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Iran was not allowed to get a nuclear weapon, Trump said, adding that Tehran had had “problems” for 47 years. He reiterated that the U.S. goal is to denuclearize Iran — “we’re going to throw it out.”
Three ships were attacked in Hormuz, apparently by Iran, which has repeatedly said it will not allow vessels to pass through the vital energy waterway without its permission.
Responding to the attack, the US president said Iran had fired missiles at ships instead of focusing on funeral rites for its slain leader, and said the US response was “20 times tougher”.
Trump also criticized NATO, saying he was unhappy that the alliance had not done more to counter what he called the “number one state sponsor of terror,” referring to Iran.
An end to attacks on commercial shipping and a US waiver were central to the memorandum of understanding, which halted fighting between the US and Iran and set a 60-day period for negotiations on a broader peace deal.
The US has blamed Iran for the attacks on shipping, while Tehran has said the military strikes and the lifting of the exemption violated an agreement between the two countries.
Read also | The US has launched a “series of powerful attacks” on Iran
Peace talks between the US and Iran
Negotiators will continue to work on a final deal between Washington and Tehran, but even before the latest escalation, the prospect of a broader deal remained uncertain, Bloomberg quoted a US official as saying.
There are a number of sticking points that need to be resolved, including future fees for transit through Hormuz, the release of Iranian assets and the Islamic Republic’s nuclear ambitions, the official said.
Talks between the US and Iran resumed last week after both countries carried out strikes. But the talks were suspended again as Iran held a week-long mass funeral for late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was assassinated on the first day of the conflict in late February.
Qatar said the next meeting would be scheduled as soon as possible after the funeral processions. Khamenei is to be buried in his hometown of Mashhad on July 9.
Read also | US senator criticizes Pakistan after Shehbaz Sharif attends Khamenei’s funeral
Oil prices jump 5%
Global oil prices rose more than five percent on Wednesday shortly after Trump’s comments following fresh strikes in the Middle East.
International benchmark North Sea Brent crude jumped 5.3 percent to $78.09 a barrel, while the main U.S. contract, West Texas Intermediate, gained 5.4 percent to $74.23 a barrel.
