By Oluwakemi Kindness
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday declared a ceasefire with Iran after fresh military exchanges between US forces and the Islamic Republic.
Speaking at a NATO summit in Ankara, Trump said he no longer wanted to engage with Iran, accusing its leadership of acting in bad faith and insisting Tehran had repeatedly misrepresented the terms of the ceasefire reached on June 17.
The latest escalation followed overnight US strikes on Iran and retaliatory attacks by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, who said they targeted US military bases in the Gulf. The renewed hostilities pushed global oil prices up by about five per cent.
Trump said Iran must decide whether to return to negotiations, adding that he would speak with businessman-turned-envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner, who have been involved in diplomatic contacts with Tehran.
The US president also reiterated that preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon remains Washington’s key objective, accusing Tehran of misleading negotiators and the international community over its nuclear programme.
