President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he believes the ceasefire and interim agreement aimed at ending the war with Iran may now be “over,” following a fresh round of attacks between the two sides.
The escalation came after Tehran was accused of targeting three commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important shipping routes.
Trump Calls Talks a “Waste of Time”
Trump said he would still allow negotiators to continue discussions, but he suggested he had little confidence in the process.
He described dealing with Iran as “just a waste of time.”
His comments followed Iranian attacks on American bases in the Gulf, which Tehran said were retaliation for U.S. strikes.
Washington said its strikes came after Iran allegedly attacked three commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran Has Not Formally Declared Ceasefire Over
As of Wednesday morning, Iran had not publicly stated whether it considered the ceasefire or interim agreement officially finished.
However, before Trump’s remarks, Iran’s foreign ministry said U.S. and Israeli actions had made key parts of the agreement ineffective.
The latest violence has raised serious doubts about whether the two countries can reach a lasting end to the war, which began with U.S.-Israeli strikes in February.
Violence Erupts During NATO Summit and Khamenei Funeral
The renewed fighting came while Trump was in Turkey for a NATO summit.
At the same time, Iran was holding a large, multi-day funeral for its slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Talks had already been paused until the funeral events concluded Thursday, but the new attacks have created more uncertainty around the peace process.
Strait of Hormuz Remains Central to Dispute
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the biggest points of tension between Washington and Tehran.
The waterway is a critical global trade route, and restoring maritime traffic there has been central to the negotiations.
Iran has argued that it has the right to charge fees to ships passing through the strait.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf wrote on X that the era of bullying and extortion is over, adding that Iran would not give in.
U.S. Strikes More Than 80 Iranian Targets
U.S. Central Command said late Tuesday that American forces had completed strikes against more than 80 targets using precision munitions.
The targets included Iranian air defence systems, command-and-control networks, coastal radar sites, anti-ship missile capabilities and more than 60 small boats belonging to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard in and near the strait.
The U.S. said the goal was to weaken Iran’s ability to attack vessels in the waterway.
U.S. Calls Strikes a Response to Iranian Aggression
A U.S. official said the strikes were larger than earlier American retaliatory attacks against Iran.
They were reportedly carried out using Air Force jets and Navy tactical aircraft.
U.S. Central Command described the operation as a response to Iran’s aggression, calling Tehran’s actions dangerous, unjustified and a violation of the ceasefire.
Another U.S. official told NBC News the attacks were specifically tied to Iranian strikes on ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
Explosions Reported in Southern Iran
A video verified by NBC News showed several explosions at a port in Bandar Abbas, a city in southern Iran, as vehicles passed on a nearby road.
The semiofficial Tasnim news agency reported that several people were injured by shrapnel from explosions at a commercial pier in Sirik, located in the Strait of Hormuz.
The injured were taken to a hospital in the nearby city of Minab.
Iran Claims Attacks on U.S. Military Sites
Early Wednesday, missile alerts sounded in Bahrain, where the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet is based, and in Kuwait, which hosts U.S. Army forces.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said it carried out a joint missile and drone operation against 85 key U.S. military sites.
The alleged targets included Bandar Salman, the U.S. Fifth Fleet area in Bahrain and Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait.
The Guard also claimed it had shot down a U.S. MQ-9 drone.
The Pentagon had not commented on those claims, and it remained unclear whether any U.S. sites were damaged.
Similar Attacks Happened in June
A similar exchange took place in late June, when Iran allegedly attacked a commercial ship in the Strait of Hormuz.
That was followed by U.S. military strikes in and around the strait, and then retaliatory Iranian attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait.
The latest escalation suggests that maritime security in the region remains highly fragile.
U.S. Revokes Iran Oil Sanctions Waiver
On Tuesday, the United States revoked a temporary sanctions waiver that had allowed Iranian oil to be sold on the global market.
The waiver was revoked because of Iran’s alleged ship attacks.
According to the Treasury Department’s website, the change took effect immediately.
It also said production, delivery or sale of Iranian oil must be wound down by July 17.
The waiver had previously allowed sales until August 21.
Three Tankers Reportedly Attacked
The U.S. said Iran attacked three tankers flagged to Liberia, Saudi Arabia and the Marshall Islands.
One tanker was travelling off Oman when it was hit and caught fire, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre.
Iranian state television said a liquefied natural gas tanker was attacked after ignoring warnings, though it did not directly claim responsibility.
The two other ships suffered some damage, but no injuries were reported, and both continued their journeys.
Oil Prices Rise After Escalation
Oil prices increased following the latest violence.
Prices rose from about $69 per barrel to nearly $73 per barrel, ending a period of relative calm in oil markets.
The rise reflects renewed concern over shipping security and energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz.
Talks Remain Paused
Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner travelled to Doha, Qatar, last week for talks with Qatari mediators.
They did not meet directly with Iranian negotiators, who were also in Doha.
Key unresolved issues include possible limits on Iran’s nuclear program and its stockpile of enriched uranium.
Iran Holds Funeral Events for Khamenei
Negotiations appear to have paused while Iran holds funeral ceremonies for former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Khamenei was killed during the opening stage of the war.
His 56-year-old son, Mojtaba Khamenei, was named his successor in March but has not appeared publicly or released an audio statement since assuming the country’s top position.
Khamenei’s casket was displayed Tuesday in Qom, Iran’s centre of religious scholarship.
Iranian officials said funeral events would also take place Wednesday in Iraq, home to two of Shiite Islam’s holiest shrines.
Iranian President Returns to Tehran
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian was in Najaf, Iraq, for the funeral ceremonies.
State media reported that he returned to Tehran after the U.S. strikes on Iran.
Taking the funeral across the border into Iraq also allows the Revolutionary Guard to emphasize its regional influence.
The Guard remains one of the most powerful military, political and economic forces in Iran.
The latest exchange of strikes between the United States and Iran has placed the ceasefire and interim peace agreement in serious doubt. Trump said he believes the deal may be over, while Iran has accused the U.S. and Israel of weakening key parts of the agreement.
With shipping attacks in the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. strikes on Iranian targets, Iranian claims of attacks on American military sites, and talks paused during Khamenei’s funeral, the path toward a lasting peace now appears increasingly uncertain.