US President Donald Trump lashed out at Iran on Wednesday, calling Tehran "dirty players" and declaring the ceasefire between the two countries effectively over, in his first remarks since confirming a fresh round of American strikes overnight.
Speaking in Ankara, where he is attending the NATO summit, Trump said: "We attacked very powerfully last night against Iran." He said the strikes were retaliation for Iranian attacks on commercial vessels, adding: "Iran shot rockets at ships, that's why US hit back."
He went on to brand Iran "dirty players" and "scum," saying: "We wasted a lot of time with Iran," and separately called Tehran "incompetent," adding: "Iran doesn't know what it's doing."
Asked directly whether the ceasefire between Washington and Tehran was over, Trump replied: "I think it's over," adding, "As far as I'm concerned, it's over."
The strikes came in retaliation for three separate Iranian attacks on commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Monday and Tuesday, which shattered a fragile pause in hostilities that had followed last month's memorandum of understanding aimed at restoring safe passage through the strait and launching nuclear talks.
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Shortly before the military response, the US Treasury Department revoked sanctions waivers that had permitted Iran to sell oil, escalating pressure on Tehran on a second front.
CENTCOM described the 'powerful strikes' as intended to impose "heavy costs for targeting and attacking commercial shipping crewed by innocent civilians in an international waterway," adding that Iran's actions were "unwarranted, dangerous, and a clear violation of the ceasefire."
Meanwhile, Trump singled out Spain in particular, saying: "Spain is a wasted cause, don't want to do trade," and adding that he intended to "cut off all trade with Spain, all visits," reiterating: "I don't want to do any more trade with Spain anymore."
Trump also expressed displeasure with the alliance over Greenland, calling it "a big problem" without elaborating further, a reference to his previously stated interest in acquiring the Danish territory, which has repeatedly strained his relations with NATO members.
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Trump's comments come hours after CENTCOM confirmed US forces had struck more than 80 Iranian targets in response to attacks on three commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, prompting Iranian retaliatory strikes on US installations in Bahrain and Kuwait.
The exchange marks the most serious rupture yet in the memorandum of understanding Trump signed with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on 17 June, and comes as the US president continues to press NATO allies over defence spending and burden-sharing at the Ankara summit.
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