Speaking ahead of a NATO summit in the Turkish capital of Ankara, U.S. President Donald Trump declared Wednesday that the memorandum of understanding reached with Iran to end the ongoing conflict is finished.
“To me, I think it’s over. I don’t want to deal with them,” Trump said at the gathering.
The temporary ceasefire agreement, which had been brokered through Pakistan’s mediation between Washington and Tehran, was designed to open a 60-day window for both sides to work toward a permanent resolution. However, indirect negotiations held in Qatar wrapped up last week without any meaningful progress, and the U.S. military launched a new round of strikes against Iran on Tuesday.
Standing alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Trump went further in his criticism of Iranian leadership. “They’re scum. They’re sick people. They’re led by sick people,” he said. “As far as I’m concerned, it’s just a waste of time dealing with them.”
Adding to the escalating tensions, the United States also moved Tuesday to cancel a license that had allowed Iran to sell oil on the international market. That action came after three oil tankers were struck by projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz.
The license in question had been issued by the U.S. Treasury on June 22 as part of the interim agreement, permitting the sale of Iranian crude oil and petrochemical and petroleum products through August 21. By revoking it Tuesday, the Treasury gave Iran a deadline of July 17 to complete or wind down any existing transactions under that authorization.
