By Editor
United States President Donald Trump has declared that the ceasefire between the United States and Iran is effectively over, following a fresh wave of hostilities triggered by Iranian attacks on commercial vessels in the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking on Wednesday during a NATO summit in Turkey, Trump dismissed ongoing diplomatic efforts with Tehran, insisting that he no longer believed negotiations would produce any meaningful outcome.
"As far as I'm concerned, it's over," Trump said when asked about the status of the ceasefire. "It's just a waste of time dealing with them. I'll let our wonderful negotiators keep talking if they want, but I don't see it."
The latest escalation follows attacks on several ships navigating the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's busiest oil shipping routes. Iran has maintained that it intends to regulate passage through the waterway by imposing transit fees and has warned that vessels failing to comply could become targets.
The renewed violence prompted the United States to launch extensive airstrikes on more than 80 Iranian military installations, including coastal radar facilities, air defence systems and Revolutionary Guard naval assets. According to the U.S. Central Command, the operation was aimed at reducing Iran's capacity to threaten international maritime trade.
Iran responded with retaliatory strikes targeting U.S. military facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait, while state media reported multiple explosions in several southern cities, including Qeshm, Sirik, Bandar Abbas and Bushehr, home to the country's only civilian nuclear power plant. Iranian authorities also confirmed the death of a member of the Revolutionary Guards during the attacks.
The renewed conflict has unsettled global energy markets, with international oil prices climbing by about five percent after Trump's remarks and the exchange of military strikes.
Meanwhile, Iran accused Washington of violating the terms of an earlier memorandum of understanding by restoring sanctions on its oil exports and carrying out military operations despite ongoing diplomatic engagements.
The United States also revoked temporary waivers that had allowed limited Iranian oil exports, with American officials maintaining that any economic concessions would depend entirely on Iran's conduct.
Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz intensified after several commercial vessels were struck near Omani waters. Maritime security officials reported that at least one tanker was hit by a drone, while others sustained damage from unidentified projectiles. The incidents have renewed concerns over the security of one of the world's most critical energy transit corridors.