President Donald Trump declared the U.S.-Iran ceasefire “over” at the NATO summit in Ankara on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, signaling an end to the interim agreement signed just three weeks earlier and threatening a new round of military strikes.
Speaking at a press conference after the summit, Trump said the memorandum of understanding signed on June 17 between the U.S. and Iran had collapsed following Iranian attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. “For me, I think it’s over,” Trump said, calling further negotiations with Iran “a waste of time.”
The ceasefire unraveled after Iran attacked three commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz on July 7, according to U.S. Central Command. The U.S. responded with strikes on more than 80 Iranian targets, including air defense systems, radars, and Revolutionary Guard vessels, according to Fox News. Trump said the U.S. would “very probably” strike Iran again that evening.
The June 17 memorandum, known as the Islamabad Memorandum, was a 14-point agreement designed to end the war between the U.S. and Iran and launch a 60-day negotiating window for a final deal, according to CNN and NPR. The agreement included provisions to halt fighting on all fronts in Lebanon, lift the U.S. naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, and allow Iran to resume oil exports, according to Al Jazeera and The New York Times.
At the NATO summit, Trump also criticized alliance members for refusing to support U.S. operations against Iran. “I said I don’t need that kind of help,” Trump told reporters, according to reporting from Al Jazeera. Trump has repeatedly expressed frustration with NATO allies over their reluctance to back military action against Tehran, a tension that has overshadowed the alliance’s gathering in Turkey.
Trump called Iranian leaders “scum” and “dirty players,” though he left the door open to future talks. “Negotiations could continue, but as far as I’m concerned it’s just a waste of time dealing with them,” he said, according to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and multiple news outlets.
Sources
- NPR — Trump’s declaration of the ceasefire being over and the text of the June 17 memorandum of understanding
- CNN — Details on the 14-point memorandum, Trump’s statements at the NATO summit, and the Iranian strikes on commercial vessels
- Fox News — U.S. strikes on more than 80 Iranian targets in response to ship attacks
- Al Jazeera — Details on the June 17 agreement provisions, Trump’s remarks at NATO, and the Strait of Hormuz attacks
- The New York Times — Provisions of the U.S.-Iran agreement and the attacks on commercial ships
- Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty — Trump’s statements that negotiations are “a waste of time”
- The Guardian — Trump’s criticism of NATO allies and the collapse of the ceasefire
