ANKARA and LONDON — President Donald Trump stated on the morning of July 8, 2026, that he considers the interim agreement (MOU) reached with Iran last month to be "over," following an intense exchange of fire between the two nations from Tuesday into early Wednesday.

Trump, attending the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, met with top advisers on July 7 to discuss the U.S. response to recent attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S., Qatar, and Saudi Arabia attributed these attacks to Iranian forces, a claim Tehran denied.

During a press conference in Ankara alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Trump said negotiations between the U.S. and Iran would continue but expressed skepticism about the agreement's viability, stating, "For me, I think it's over."

Trump described Iran's leadership as "sick people" and "cuckoo," responding to questions from ABC News. He also indicated indifference toward whether talks would continue after the funeral proceedings for slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, saying, "I'll let our wonderful negotiators keep talking if they want, but I don't see it."

CENTCOM announced retaliatory strikes on more than 80 Iranian targets, including air defense systems, command and control networks, coastal radar sites, anti-ship missile capabilities, and small boats. In response, Iran's military reported attacks on 85 U.S. military sites in Kuwait and Bahrain.

Trump further accused Iran of being "dirty players" who target everyone, including himself, referencing alleged assassination plots.

On July 7, Trump also held a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the Bestepe Presidential Compound in Ankara.

Sources