US President Donald Trump has declared the interim ceasefire with Iran officially over, unleashing a blistering rant in which he labelled the Iranian government as "scum" and "sick people." The remarks came after the United States launched strikes on Iran early Wednesday morning (8 July), hours after revoking a licence authorising Iranian oil sales in retaliation for Tehran's attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran responded with strikes on Bahrain and Kuwait.
Trump's Statement and Concerns Over Wider Conflict
Speaking to reporters ahead of the NATO summit in Turkey, Trump stated: "I think it's over. I don't want to deal with them any more. They're scum. You know what scum is? They're scum." He continued: "They're sick people. They're led by sick people and they're vicious, violent people. And if they had a nuclear weapon, they'd use it." The 80-year-old president added that he would allow US representatives to continue talks on his behalf but considered further negotiations "a waste of time."
Trump's outburst raised concerns that the broader Middle East conflict could resume, potentially leading to a spike in oil prices. The attacks on shipping threatened efforts to resume fuel shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial chokepoint for global oil supplies.
Context of the Attacks and Funeral Tensions
The crossfire occurred during the multi-day funeral for Iran's late supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed on February 28 in the war's first moments. The funeral, ending Thursday (9 July), was intended to be a period of lower tensions, though mourners repeatedly called for the killings of Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Negotiations for a final deal had been scheduled to start after Khamenei's burial, focusing on fully reopening the strait and rolling back Iran's nuclear programme. However, the fresh attacks have thrown those plans into question.
Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf responded on X: "The era of bullying and extortion is over. It leads nowhere. We don't fold."
US Military Statement on Strikes
The US military's Central Command said American forces launched the strikes "to impose heavy costs for targeting and attacking commercial shipping crewed by innocent civilians in an international waterway." The strikes hit Iranian targets including air defence systems, radars, and over 60 small boats used by Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. Those boats have been key in harassing ships in the strait. The US military added that it remains "postured and prepared to hold Iran accountable when the agreement is not adhered to or obeyed," noting that this round of attacks had ended.
