Washington DC: US President Donald Trump has effectively declared the recent ceasefire agreement with Iran to be over, dismissing further diplomatic engagement with Tehran as a futile endeavour. Speaking on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, Trump expressed his deep frustration with the Iranian leadership, referring to them as “scum” and “sick people”. When questioned by reporters about the current status of the truce, the President bluntly stated that as far as he was concerned, the peace process had concluded. Although he noted that American negotiators, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, might continue to hold discussions because they are “good people,” he cast significant doubt on the potential for any positive outcome, reiterating that dealing with the Iranian administration is simply a waste of time.
On the status of the ceasefire with Iran, US President Donald Trump says, “To me, I think it’s over. I don’t want to deal with them anymore. They’re scum… They’re led by sick people… I’ll speak to our negotiators. They want to negotiate—they’re good people… but they have to… pic.twitter.com/8oZYJJS7dV
— ANI (@ANI) July 8, 2026
The harsh rhetoric from the US President follows a dramatic escalation of military hostilities and maritime incidents in the Middle East. The United States recently launched extensive military strikes against over 80 Iranian targets in retaliation for attacks on commercial shipping vessels navigating the strategic Strait of Hormuz, which Washington directly attributed to Iranian armed forces. In addition to the military response, Trump surprised NATO leaders by revoking a licence that had previously permitted Tehran to sell its oil on the global market. Iran, in turn, retaliated by targeting US military installations, with Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf fiercely condemning Washington’s actions and declaring that the era of bullying and extortion is over.
The rapid collapse of the fragile peace agreement has immediately sent shockwaves through global energy markets and raised serious concerns among international allies. Following Trump’s bold declaration that the ceasefire was finished, international oil prices surged by more than five per cent. Global benchmark Brent crude jumped 5.3 per cent to trade at $78.09 a barrel, while the main US contract, West Texas Intermediate, climbed 5.4 per cent to $74.23. Meanwhile, European Union officials expressed alarm over the deteriorating situation, with the EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, warning that the violent back-and-forth strikes further complicate the already fraught efforts to secure a lasting peace and preserve freedom of navigation in the region.
