Trump Signals More US-Iran Talks Despite Ceasefire Rejection

US President Donald Trump has said Washington and Tehran have agreed to continue US-Iran negotiations through diplomatic channels, even as he insisted that a ceasefire is no longer needed after the latest military confrontation between the two countries.

The renewed diplomatic effort follows days of deadly exchanges that have raised fears of a wider conflict across the Middle East. Qatari negotiators are currently in Tehran as they work to restart dialogue and reduce tensions between both sides.

Despite those efforts, Trump said he no longer sees any reason to pursue a ceasefire. Speaking about Iran’s leadership, he declared: “To me, I think it is over, I don’t want to deal with them any longer, they are scum, you know what scum means, they are sick, led by sick people.”

He also claimed Iran remains a major threat to global security, saying, “They are vicious violent people, if they had a nuclear weapon, they would use it.” Trump further questioned the value of diplomacy, stating, “It’s a waste of time dealing with them, they are liars, we make a deal, we say no nuclear weapons and they go out to the press to say we never even talked about it.” He added: “There is something wrong with them, as far as I am concerned it is over.”

Even with those remarks, reports indicated that both governments had agreed to continue US-Iran negotiations, while Qatar continued efforts to bridge differences.

The conflict has also affected global energy markets. Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has dropped sharply because of security concerns, increasing pressure on international oil supplies. At the same time, Israeli strikes on Lebanon intensified, raising fears that the crisis could spread further across the region.

The latest developments follow Iran’s claim that it launched attacks on 85 US military installations in the Middle East after American airstrikes on its territory. Tehran described the action as retaliation, while Washington said its operation followed attacks on three commercial vessels travelling through the Strait of Hormuz.

Can continued diplomacy prevent the growing tensions from developing into a wider regional conflict?