Gunpowder and Talks: Trump Declares Ceasefire Over But Negotiations Will Continue

The United States and Iran will continue their dialogue, but President Donald Trump has made it clear that the ceasefire between the two nations is now effectively over. This statement follows a week of escalating tensions in the Gulf region, particularly after attacks on three commercial ships from Qatar and Saudi Arabia in the Strait of Hormuz. The US has mounted pressure on Iran to halt these attacks, which have been driving up global oil prices.

Taking to his social media platform, President Trump claimed that Iran had requested to continue talks, to which the US agreed, but emphasized that the ceasefire is no longer in place. Iran, however, denied requesting talks via state TV, stating they only agreed to host a Qatari mediator to discuss de-escalation. The recent maritime attacks prompted the US to strike Iranian targets, leading to Iranian retaliatory strikes on US military bases in the Gulf.

Adding fuel to the fire, Trump claimed that US forces have been ordered to strike immediately if Iran attempts to assassinate him, stating that a thousand missiles are locked on Iran, ready to be launched. This follows US media reports that Israeli intelligence had warned Washington of an Iranian plot to assassinate Trump.

Meanwhile, massive crowds gathered for the funeral of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in an airstrike on the first day of the war. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi traveled to Oman to negotiate the safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global oil supplies currently heavily controlled by Iran. The ongoing conflict, which began in late February, has claimed thousands of lives, with recent US strikes killing at least 17 people and injuring 115 across six Iranian cities.