Iran insisted on Saturday that it has “kept its word” on its ceasefire with the United States, after President Donald Trump declared the truce was over while also agreeing to further negotiations with Tehran.
The latest exchange marked a fresh low in relations between the long-time rivals after this week’s strikes threatened to unravel a fragile agreement aimed at turning months of fighting into lasting peace.
Trump also escalated his rhetoric on Saturday, warning on Truth Social that the US would “completely decimate” Iran if it attempted or succeeded in assassinating him.
His comments came a day after he agreed to more talks with Iran, even as he repeated his claim that the ceasefire was finished just weeks after Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at easing tensions.
Although there have been no direct talks between the two sides since last month, Iranian media reported that a delegation from mediator Qatar had arrived in Tehran after the recent exchange of strikes.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran has asked us to continue ‘talks.’ We have agreed to do so, but the United States has stated to them, in no uncertain terms, that the Cease Fire is OVER!” Trump posted on Truth Social.
Earlier this week, at a Nato summit, Trump also declared the ceasefire over, saying of Tehran: “It’s just a waste of time dealing with them.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi rejected Trump’s claims, saying Tehran had honoured its commitments.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran has so far kept its word, unlike the so-called US Treasury Secretary who is violating Para 9 of the MoU,” Araghchi said.
The memorandum states that Iran would maintain the current status of its nuclear programme while the United States would refrain from imposing new sanctions or deploying additional forces in the region pending a final agreement.
“That violation follows other violations and missteps by the United States. Reality check: There can only be mutual compliance,” Araghchi added.
US and Iranian officials have held one round of direct talks in Switzerland and indirect negotiations in Qatar since signing the memorandum, but there has been little sign of progress.
The diplomatic standoff comes as Axios and Politico reported that Washington had given Tehran until Saturday to stop firing on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz and acknowledge that the vital shipping lane is open.
Iran effectively closed the strategic waterway after the conflict sparked by US-Israeli strikes in late February, insisting it should control access through the strait.
The United States responded this week with extensive strikes on Iran following attacks on ships in the waterway, prompting retaliatory attacks on US bases in the Gulf.
Washington has also revoked a temporary sanctions waiver for Iranian oil that had allowed Tehran to continue producing, selling and exporting crude through Aug 21.
Araghchi is due to travel to Oman on Saturday for talks on the Strait of Hormuz, according to state news agency IRNA.
Qatar has continued to back diplomatic efforts, with Iran’s Tasnim news agency reporting that a Qatari delegation was in Tehran to strengthen mediation efforts following this week’s violence.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also spoke with Qatar’s emir and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Friday, urging all sides to preserve the “hard-earned peace”.
But Iran’s chief negotiator with Washington, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, struck a defiant note.
“Ending the war is a priority for the countries of the world, but everyone must know that this confrontation will never end with Iran’s surrender,” he said, according to ISNA news agency.
Iranians, he added, were “fully prepared to defend ourselves”.
