Trump Says Memorandum of Understanding With Iran Is Over

United States President Donald Trump has declared that his administration’s Memorandum of Understanding with Iran is effectively over, blaming Tehran for escalating tensions across the Middle East.

Trump made the remarks on Wednesday while speaking at the NATO summit, saying there was no longer any value in pursuing diplomatic engagement with Iran following the latest wave of attacks in the region.

“It is a waste of time dealing with them,” the US president said, adding that Washington should focus on “doing our business” instead.

His comments came after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed responsibility for strikes on US military targets in Bahrain and Kuwait, describing them as retaliation for recent American attacks on Iranian territory.

Trump also accused Iran of violating a ceasefire by targeting commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, describing the country’s leadership as “dirty players” and accusing it of fuelling instability.

“We have to rid their cancer… you’ve got to cut out cancer early. And that’s the way I feel,” he said.

The latest remarks represent Trump’s strongest indication yet that the understanding reached with Tehran has effectively broken down amid the renewed exchange of hostilities.

Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates also condemned Iran’s actions, saying the attacks showed Tehran had failed to honour commitments aimed at reducing tensions in the Gulf.

Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, accused Iran of attacking commercial tankers linked to Qatar and Saudi Arabia in the Strait of Hormuz, as well as carrying out repeated attacks against Bahrain and Kuwait.

“Iran’s attacks on Qatari and Saudi commercial tankers in the Strait of Hormuz and the repeated aggression against our sisterly states, Bahrain and Kuwait, are a clear sign that Tehran remains unable to commit to de-escalation and turning the page of the war,” Gargash said in a statement.

He warned that Gulf Arab states should not continue to bear the consequences of the confrontation, saying the region could not remain caught between Iran’s alternating posture of escalation and restraint.

Iran had earlier announced that it launched missiles and drones at multiple US military targets in Bahrain and Kuwait in response to the latest American strikes, further raising fears of a wider regional conflict.