US President Donald Trump has declared that the ceasefire agreement with Iran is effectively over, warning of further American military action after renewed exchanges of fire between the two countries. Get today's headlines by email Speaking at a NATO summit in Turkey on Wednesday, Trump said the US had struck Iranian targets overnight and suggested additional attacks could follow. "We hit them very hard last night," he told reporters. "We'll probably hit them hard again tonight." US President Signals Further Military Action as Tensions RiseThe comments came after the heaviest fighting since Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on 17 June, aimed at halting hostilities and creating a framework for further negotiations. The agreement included a 60-day ceasefire, commitments to protect commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, continued diplomatic talks, and a temporary easing of US sanctions on Iranian oil exports. Trump Dismisses Future TalksTrump accused Iran of violating the agreement, claiming its leaders had acted dishonestly throughout the negotiations. Speaking at the summit, he described Iran's leadership as "scum" and "cuckoo", saying he no longer wished to negotiate with Tehran. "I think it's over," Trump said. "We make a deal. They go outside, talk to the press, and say, 'We never even talked about it.' There's something wrong with them." Earlier in the day, he said US negotiators could continue discussions "if they want", but dismissed further diplomacy as "a waste of time". Later, however, he added that he did not expect the conflict to develop into a prolonged war and believed any future fighting would end quickly. Iran Promises ResponseIranian officials strongly criticised Trump's remarks and warned against further US military action. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on X that Iran would respond through action rather than rhetoric. "We do not answer vulgarity with vulgarity, but with action: fearlessly and with great valour," he said. Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior adviser to Iran's supreme leader, warned that any new American strikes would receive an "immediate response". Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Trump's comments reflected the failure of years of sanctions, threats and military pressure to force Iran into submission. Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf accused Washington of violating the June agreement through renewed strikes and by restoring sanctions on Iranian oil exports. "The era of bullying and extortion is over. It leads nowhere. We don't fold," he said. Military Escalation ContinuesUS Central Command said it carried out "powerful" strikes on Tuesday after attacks on three commercial tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian state media reported that eight members of the country's armed forces were killed in strikes on Bandar Abbas and Bushehr. In response, Iran said it launched attacks on US military sites in Bahrain and Kuwait on Wednesday. The US also reinstated sanctions relief that had temporarily been suspended under the June agreement. Meanwhile, Central Command said more than 20 US Navy warships remain deployed across the Middle East as tensions continue. Oil prices rose following Trump's comments, although they remain below the peaks reached when the Strait of Hormuz was fully closed during the earlier stages of the conflict. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte described the latest US strikes as "absolutely necessary", saying Iran had violated the ceasefire. The latest escalation has cast further doubt on the future of negotiations. Talks had already been paused during funeral ceremonies for Iran's late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed during the opening phase of the US-Israeli campaign against Iran. Asked whether diplomacy would resume, Trump said he was unconcerned. "I don't care," he said, adding that while negotiators including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner could continue discussions if they wished, he believed doing so would be "just a waste of time." Join the discussion? 9 July 2026
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