President Donald Trump stated that the memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Iran is effectively over.
On July 8, during a NATO summit in Turkey, Trump said, "I consider it done," regarding the MOU with Iran. He expressed skepticism about negotiations, stating, "Dealing with them is a waste of time."
CNN described Trump's remarks as the clearest signal that the Iran agreement has essentially collapsed. His comments followed an announcement from Iran's Revolutionary Guard, which claimed responsibility for attacks on U.S. military targets in Bahrain and Kuwait in retaliation for American airstrikes on Iran.
Trump accused Iran of violating a ceasefire by targeting commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. He referred to Iran as "evil and sick people" and "dirty players," indicating that the U.S. no longer needs to pursue diplomacy.
He stated, "We need to remove their cancer. Cancer must be cut out early. I believe that." CNN reported that Trump indicated a desire to take action rather than continue diplomatic efforts, calling engagement with Iran a waste of time.
The U.S. and Iran had previously agreed to halt military operations and normalize navigation in the Strait of Hormuz through the MOU, but both sides are now accusing each other of violating the agreement following recent attacks on vessels and subsequent U.S. airstrikes.
Earlier, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg defended the U.S. airstrikes, calling them "absolutely necessary." He noted that Iran had effectively violated the ceasefire while the U.S. was observing attacks on vessels the previous day, emphasizing the importance of a strong U.S. response.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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