U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran has asked to continue negotiations with Washington, while making it clear that, in his view, the cease-fire between the two sides has come to an end following a series of retaliatory strikes.
In a post on Truth Social on July 10, Trump said, “The Islamic Republic of Iran has asked us to continue ‘talks.'” He added that although the United States had agreed to engage, it had informed Tehran “in no uncertain terms” that “the Cease Fire is OVER!”
Trump has repeatedly claimed that Iran is eager to return to the negotiating table, despite previous rounds of talks ending without any significant breakthroughs.
Speaking to reporters earlier this week, Trump said Iran had reached out to the United States seeking a deal. However, he questioned whether Tehran could be trusted to uphold any future agreement, saying he was uncertain if the country would honor its commitments.
He also indicated that he would consult with Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who have been serving as the administration’s lead negotiators, about the possibility of restarting diplomatic discussions.
Qatari Delegation Visits Tehran
Meanwhile, Iranian media reported that a Qatari delegation arrived in Tehran on July 10 for discussions aimed at easing regional tensions.
According to the Tasnim news agency, the visit is intended to strengthen Qatar’s role as a mediator following developments on July 7.
Qatar has accused Iran of attacking three oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz on July 7, as violence escalated despite what had been announced as a 60-day truce designed to create space for negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
Iran has maintained that vessels passing through the strategic waterway must obtain authorization from Tehran, claiming the targeted ships failed to do so.
In response, U.S. forces carried out strikes on Iranian positions, primarily along the country’s coastline near the Strait of Hormuz. Washington said the operations were intended to safeguard commercial shipping through one of the world’s most important maritime trade routes, which previously handled about 20 percent of global crude oil and natural gas shipments.
On July 9, U.S. Central Command issued a statement reaffirming the U.S. position that the Strait of Hormuz is an international waterway and rejecting Iran’s claim that it has the authority to control passage through the strait.
The renewed tensions unfolded as Iran concluded six days of funeral ceremonies for its slain supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed during the opening day of the U.S.-Israeli air strikes on February 28.
The large-scale public events attracted hundreds of thousands of mourners across the country. However, the absence of Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, from the ceremonies drew widespread attention, fueling speculation about his condition and raising fresh questions about the state of the country’s leadership.
