Trump breaks ceasefire with Iran: «I won’t negotiate anymore»

U.S. President Donald Trump declared the end of the framework ceasefire agreement with Iran on Wednesday. He did so from Ankara, during the NATO leaders summit. His words were forceful and laden with hostility that left no room for ambiguity. «For me it’s over. I don’t want to negotiate with them, because they are garbage,» he stated to the international press.

The statements were made alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Trump took advantage of the start of the second day of the summit to launch his harshest message yet against Tehran. «They are sick people, run by sick, bad, violent people,» he said without filter. And he added a warning about Iran’s nuclear program: «If they had a nuclear weapon, they would use it.»

The president’s tone was unusually direct even by his usual standards. It was not a diplomatic statement or a negotiated ultimatum. It was an explicit break with the process he had promised to bring to a successful conclusion. Trump’s words mark a turning point in a crisis that has already claimed lives on both sides of the conflict.

«This is over»: Trump closes the door on negotiation

The president was categorical in explaining his stance on the ongoing diplomatic process. «Negotiating with them is just wasting time. They lie,» he said harshly. He recalled that there was an agreement on nuclear non-proliferation and that Iran publicly denied it. «They talk to the press and say we never discussed this. What’s wrong with them? They’re crazy,» he expressed, visibly irritated.

Trump called Iranian negotiators «a bunch of liars.» This definition practically closes any space for resuming dialogue in the short term. However, he left a small door slightly ajar in a contradictory way. «I’ll let our wonderful negotiators Witkoff and Kushner keep talking, if they want, but I don’t see it,» he indicated.

This ambiguity is characteristic of the U.S. president’s communication style. On one hand, he declares an end to all negotiation. On the other, he allows his envoys to continue the process. This duality creates uncertainty about what the Executive’s actual position is regarding the conflict with Iran.

Nighttime attacks and an escalation that doesn’t let up

Trump’s words did not come in a vacuum. They were accompanied by a revelation about recent military operations. According to the president, U.S. forces attacked Iran «very hard» during the previous night. The reason was a violation of the calm period that had been agreed upon during the funeral of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

«We told them to do the funeral, and instead they start launching rockets at ships,» Trump said. According to his account, Iran took advantage of the temporary truce to attack commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. response was immediate and forceful. «So we hit them hard last night, very hard,» the president confirmed.

Iran responded to those attacks by bombing U.S. bases in several Persian Gulf countries. This exchange of hostilities aggravates a situation that was already at a critical point. It also explains the frustration Trump conveyed in his statements on Wednesday. The cycle of attack and reprisal appears to have reactivated with force.

The victims of protests and accusations against the regime

Trump also used his remarks to attack the Iranian regime on a different front. He accused Tehran authorities of killing tens of thousands of protesters. «So far they have killed 54,000 people who were protesting,» he stated, referring to last January’s protests. His words sought to portray the Iranian government as a violent regime that represses its own people.

«When you wonder why the protesters haven’t taken power, it’s because they’re dead. They’ve killed them,» he noted. This narrative seeks to legitimize Washington’s bellicose stance before international public opinion. By presenting Iran as a regime that kills civilians, Trump seeks to reduce space for any criticism of his confrontational policy.

He also made a claim about military casualties that raised questions. He asserted that Iran «has killed thousands and thousands of our soldiers.» However, in the war that started on February 28, only 16 U.S. soldiers are recorded as killed in combat. The discrepancy between that official figure and the presidential statement was not clarified during the remarks.

The context of the NATO summit adds an additional layer of complexity to these statements. European allies are watching with concern as the conflict with Iran escalates during a meeting dedicated to collective security. The recent revocation of authorization for Iranian oil sales further complicates the global diplomatic and energy landscape.