• US-Iran truce uncertain: President Donald Trump said he believes the Memorandum of Understanding with Tehran “is over,” but that negotiators can “keep talking if they want,” after the US and Iran exchanged strikes across the Middle East — casting doubt on the status of ongoing talks. Oil prices jumped after his comments, made at the NATO summit in Turkey
• Surge of attacks: Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said they attacked American military targets in Bahrain and Kuwait after the US launched strikes and reimposed sanctions on Iranian oil sales, following attacks on ships near the Strait of Hormuz
• NATO summit:In Ankara, NATO’s secretary general touted increased European and Canadian defense spending — a major focus for Trump. Denmark’s leader, meanwhile, reiterated that Greenland is “not for sale” after Trump again said the island “should be controlled by the United States.”
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The sudden flare-up in the conflict between the US and Iran adds a new complication to already tricky gathering of NATO leaders in Turkey
The summit was always going to be challenging for NATO’s European members who are facing a US president who has threatened to walk away from Europe and take over a territory that belongs to one of the allies
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte spent a good portion of the summit’s first day on Tuesday touting the alliance’s increased defense spending – a majorof billions of dollars in an effort to show that the financial burden of defending Europe is shifting
But the new escalation – arguably the biggest since the US and Iran signed their Memorandum of Understanding last month – is now threatening to make the NATO talk a side plot
Kaja Kallas, the EU’s foreign representative, said on Wednesday that “the exchanges of fire between the US and Iran further complicate already fraught talks to end the war.”
Trump has criticized other NATO members for not helping the US in its war on Iran, personally attacking the leaders of several countries over the issue
Talks between the US and Iran were paused for the funeral of the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, before President Donald Trump said he believes the Memorandum of Understanding with Iran “is over.”
Trump calls Iranians “a cancer”
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CNN
Trump calls Iranians “a cancer”
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Last week, officials from Tehran and Washington traveled to Doha, Qatar, for indirect talks, which were expected to begin again after the funeral
Here’s the latest on those talks:
- The separate indirect meetings between US and Iranian negotiators in Doha last week made “positive progress,” Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari said last Wednesday.
- Al-Ansari also said that that the next meeting between negotiators would be scheduled “at the earliest possible time” after funeral processions for Iran’s former supreme leader.
- US Vice President JD Vance said last Wednesday that the talks were “going well,” though he added that it was “still pretty early.”
- Meanwhile, officials from Lebanon and Israel signed a US-brokered agreement late last monthoutlining an Israeli withdrawal from two areas in southern Lebanon.Despite this agreement, fighting has continued, and two days after signing it, Israel approved continued military operations in southern Lebanon. Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah denounced the agreement, demanding a complete Israeli withdrawal from the country.
- Also last week, Syria’s foreign minister visited Beirut for talks with Lebanese officials, marking his first official trip since Trump raised the possibility of Syrian intervention in Lebanon.
CNN’s Mostafa Salem, Mohammed Tawfeeq, Hira Humayun, Haley Britzky, Xiaoqian Lin, Tal Shalev, Charbel Mallo, Eugenia Yosef and Oren Liebermann contributed to this reporting
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth attends the official welcoming ceremony ahead of the 36th NATO Summit of Heads of State and Government, in Ankara, Turkey, on Tuesday.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has canceled a planned visit to Israel on Wednesday, according to two Israeli
Hegseth was expected to make his first visit to Israel as secretary of defense to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz, the. The visit, first reported on CNN, was canceled on Wednesday morning even as preparations were already underway
One aim of Hegseth’s visit was to ease Israeli concerns over the potential sale of advanced F-35 stealth fighter jets to Turkey, which President Donald Trump has floated during the NATO summit in Ankara
CNN has reached out to the Pentagon for comment
In an exclusive interview with CNN, Netanyahu said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is “not exactly a model ally of the United States.” Netanyahu said that Erdogan “threatens to destroy my country, the one and only Jewish state.”
Israel is the only country in the Middle East that currently operates the F-35, America’s most advanced fighter jet
The European Union A on Wednesday directed airlines to avoid airspace over Iran, Iraq, and Lebanon, citing regional tensions
The EASA said their directives were valid until August 31, “unless reviewed earlier.”
The agency said the implementation of the ceasefire was fragile and tensions are high. EASA said its flight advisory is based on “ongoing high level of tensions and the potential for further military action.”
“Should the existing truce break down, Iranian airspace is likely to be exposed to imminent threats,” it added
Oil tankers and cargo vessels are seen anchored off Port Sultan Qaboos in Oman on June 21.
Oil prices jumped more than 6% and stock markets around the world fell on Wednesday, after US President Donald Trump said he believed the Memorandum of Understanding with Iran “is over,” following a series of strikes across the region
Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, climbed to $78.93 a barrel shortly after 5 a.m. ET, about 6.4% higher on the day. WTI, the US benchmark, rose 6.5% to $74.99 a barrel
The moves upward follow weeks of falling prices, as it looked likely the United States and Iran could reach a deal to reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz, which carried around a fifth of global oil supply before the war
Oil prices still remain well below their war-time peaks of above $120 a barrel for Brent, but the increases could be enough to revive inflation fears
Stock markets sold off sharply. Dow and Nasdaq futures were down 1.3% and 1.6% respectively, with S&P 500 futures 1% lower. Major equity indexes in Europe fell around 2%. In Asia, South Korea’s KOSPI finished 5.4% lower, with Japan’s Nikkei giving up 2.1.% at the close. Meanwhile, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng climbed 3%
“Equity market sentiment is under renewed pressure from a jump in oil prices,” Neil Wilson, a strategist at investment bank Saxo, wrote in a note. “Clearly higher oil prices raises stagflation fears and weighs on the growth outlook,” he added. “Stagflation” refers to a dreaded combination of high inflation and low economic growth
President Trump voiced unhappiness about NATO allies and singled out Spain
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CNN
President Trump voiced unhappiness about NATO allies and singled out Spain
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US President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized European allies for not spending enough on defense, and on Wednesday, he lashed out in particular at Spain
Spain is the only member of NATO that has refused to commit to the increased spending targets, securing an exemption to cap its military spending at 2.1% of GDP, instead of the higher 5% target that other nations plan to reach by 2035. Among NATO allies, Spain is tied for last place in terms of defense spending as a percentage of the country’s GDP
It’s not the first time Trump has heavily criticized Spain, where left-wing Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is one of the few leaders who was outspoken in his criticism of US war on Iran. Sánchez’s previous decision to forbid the use of American military facilities in southern Spain in support of the Iran strikes provoked anger from the White House
“Don’t even talk to them. They’re hopeless, bad people,” Trump added. “They make so much money with us, and we’re going to see that they make a lot less. I want no business with them.”
Spain’s response:Sánchez office said it was approaching Trump’s latest calls to cutoff trade “calmly,” and it has no intention to change its excellent social and economic relationship with the US. A spokesperson noted that the US runs a trade surplus with Spain, meaning it technically benefits more from the bilateral trade relationship. And as a member of the European Union, it can’t be singled out in trade measures
US President Donald Trump during a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte (not pictured) on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, on Wednesday.
A furious President Donald Trump says the ceasefire agreement he signed with Iran exactly three weeks ago is “over.”
What that looks like in practice remains unclear
Trump, who warned last month of “economic catastrophe” if the war continued, remains under the same political pressures to see the conflict end
Already, the US and Iran had been engaged in tit-for-tat strikes: Iran on commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, and the US in retaliatory action on Iranian military sites. The attacks have caused oil prices to jump
Trump had also already reversed a key provision contained in the agreement that allowed Iran to sell its oil on the global market
In his fiery remarks in Ankara, Trump said he would allow his negotiators to continue pursuing a broader nuclear deal with Iran, but dismissed the exercise as a “waste of time.”
Responding to what he called an “interesting question” on the status of the deal, the president suggested there was little to gain from engaging with “cuckoos.”
A team led by Vice President JD Vance had been under a 60-day deadline to secure technical concessions from Tehran to curtain its nuclear ambitions
Those talks had been slow-going, however, and mainly focused on implementing the Memorandum of Understanding, which Trump signed at the Palace of Versailles on June 17
Mediators of the deal, led by Pakistan and Qatar, will almost certainly now be hurriedly trying to get the agreement back on the rails
But another player — Israel — will have heard Trump’s comments with different ears. Deeply skeptical of his diplomatic attempts with Iran, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could view the president’s comments as an opening to continue operations both in Lebanon, against Hezbollah, or in Iran itself
President Trump says MOU is “over”
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CNN
President Trump says MOU is “over”
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President Donald Trump said Wednesday morning that he believes the Memorandum of Understanding with Iran “is over,” following a series of strikes across the region
It was the clearest indication yet that Trump’s deal has all but collapsed. The US president’s latest comments followed the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps saying it had launched strikes on US military targets across Bahrain and Kuwait in response to US strikes on Iran
Trump castigated Iran as “evil, sick people” and said “they’re scum,” as his preliminary deal with Tehran appears to be teetering on collapse
Speaking at the start of a NATO summit in Turkey, Trump called the country “dirty players” for targeting commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, violating a ceasefire
Trump said he’ll let his negotiators “keep talking if they want,” but added that the US was wasting time talking with Iran, and voiced a desire to “do our business” instead of trying to pursue diplomacy
This post has been updated with additional comments from Trump
President Donald Trump meets with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte for bilateral talks at Beştepe Presidential Compound during the NATO Summit in Ankara, on Wednesday.
US President Donald Trump said he would convey his grievances about NATO to members of the alliance during a meeting later on Wednesday
“I’m going to relay my problems,” Trump said, speaking alongside the NATO chief Mark Rutte as the summit got underway
He listed Greenland and Iran as areas of concern, suggesting the US was paying “billions of dollars too much” to ensure Europe’s security
It was an auspicious start to the gathering, which has European officials on edge for how Trump will translate his fury toward the alliance into changes in US military posture
Meanwhile, NATO members have been keen to emphasize their increases in defense spending ahead of the summit. Earlier today, Rutte praised an increase in defense spending from other nations, saying that the $258 billion in extra spending by Canada and Europe in 2025 and 2026 was “staggering.”
Anwar Gargash, speaks during a press conference in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on November 25, 2025.
A top official from the United Arab Emirates criticized Iranian attacks on Gulf neighbors, saying they show Tehran’s inability to meet its de-escalation commitments
“Iran’s attacks on Qatari and Saudi commercial tankers in the Strait of Hormuz and the repeated aggression against our sisterly states, Bahrain and Kuwait, are a clear sign that Tehran remains unable to commit to de-escalation and turning the page of the war,” Anwar Gargash, the UAE president’s adviser, said in a statement on X
Iran launched missiles and drones at 85 US military targets across Bahrain and Kuwait earlier today in response to the latest wave of US strikes on Iran
Gargash said Gulf Arab states cannot continue to be targeted as Iran wavers between escalation and restraint
On day one of the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, President Donald Trump said he would soon decide whether to sell F-35 fighter jets to Turkey, and put a spotlight back on Greenland after saying he’s still interested in US control over the territory. CNN’s Nic Robertson reports:
What to expect at NATO summit as US-Iran strikes resume
On day one of the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, President Donald Trump said he would soon decide whether to sell F-35 fighter jets to Turkey, and put a spotlight back on Greenland after saying he’s still interested in US control over the territory
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CNN
What to expect at NATO summit as US-Iran strikes resume
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The responsibility for the latest escalation in hostilities lies with the United States, Iran’s foreign ministry said in a new statement, which also accused Washington of “treaty-breaking.”
The US attacks on southern Iran, its decision to reimpose sanctions on Iranian oil, and the ongoing fighting in Lebanon have “rendered important and fundamental parts of the (agreement to end the war) ineffective,” the Iranian statement said
The US said the strikes early Wednesday local time and sanctions were “punishment” for recent Iranian attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz
In response, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps said it launched missiles and drones at 85 US military targets across Bahrain and Kuwait
Employees walk among debris at the site of food and drink warehouses hit by an overnight Russian missile strike in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Wednesday.
Ukraine’s air defenses failed to shoot down any of theRussian ballistic missiles fired at it overnight into Wednesday, its military said, as the country’s leader continues urging allies to supply Ukraine with Patriot interceptors
The overnight attack included five ballistic missiles, two anti-radar missiles and 169 drone attacks, said the Ukrainian Air Force – but for the second time this week none of the ballistics were intercepted. Earlier this week, 19 people died in the capital Kyiv in a major Russian attack that involved ballistic missiles
Ukraine has been struggling to fend off Russia’s deadly mass aerial attacks due to Kyiv’s acute shortage of patriot missiles – something Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been highlighting in the lead to today’s NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said Wednesday that the bloc will likely emerge from the summit with more “multi-year” commitments to supporting Ukraine, which remains “extremely important,” he said
Sirens are sounding again in Bahrain, the third time in recent hours. The country’s interior ministry again asked residents to head to the nearest safe place. It’s currently 9:30 a.m. local time in Bahrain
The warning comes as Iranian state media IRIB said a new wave of missiles was headed toward the Gulf state. Earlier, the IRGC and the Iranian army both said they targeted US military sites in Bahrain. There have been no verified reports of damage so far
President Donald Trump spent part of his time in Turkey on Tuesday conferring with top advisers about a response to Iran’s targeting of commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, according to people familiar with the discussions
Ahead of a leaders dinner hosted by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Trump huddled with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine to formulate a response, including the US strikes on Iranian targets
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is also in Turkey, and conferred with Trump on reversing a sanctions waiver that allowed Iran to sell oil
Trump has been frustrated at Iran’s violations of the Memorandum of Understanding, which he signed exactly three weeks ago. Iran has also accused the US of repeatedly breaching the agreement
At the dinner, amid courses of Turkish specialties like “pide” flatbread and “manti” dumplings, Trump held a private conversation with NATO chief Mark Rutte
The next morning, Rutte said the military action was “absolutely necessary” as he entered the high-stakes NATO summit
Protestors with Greenland flags take part in a demonstration against the US consulate’s inauguration in Nuuk, Greenland, on May 21.
Iceland’s Prime Minister Kristrún Mjöll Frostadóttir said the people of Greenland “do not wish to be part of the United States.”
Her comments to media ahead of the main events at the NATO summit in the Turkish capital Ankara came after President Donald Trump again said he wanted to take control of the territory
Frostadóttir said Trump’s comments on Tuesday were not surprising as they had been an “underlying theme” from the US president
“We have been very clear on this… Greenland belongs to the people of Greenland,” she said
Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen speaks as she arrives for the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, on Wednesday.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Greenland is “not for sale” and Denmark was ready to defend the territory
Her comments came after President Donald Trump reiterated that he would like the US to control Greenland, arguing the territory is strategically vital to American security
“The US position is unfortunately very clear on this topic, and our position is as clear as it has been all through,” Frederiksen said ahead of the NATO summit
The Danish leader referenced the core NATO principle of Article Five – which means an attack on one member state is an attack on all. “If anything happens to one of us, then everybody should stand up for each other,” she said
“We are ready to defend every inch of NATO, including our own territory.”
Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks during a doorstep at the NATO leaders’ summit in Ankara, Turkey, on Wednesday.
Arriving at the NATO summit in Ankara on Wednesday, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said that the defense burden was shifting away from the United States
“It’s happening and that momentum is picking up,” Carney said, adding that US President Donald Trump wanted to see that shift
Carney said the latest US strikes on Iran were an “appropriate” response, saying the Islamic Republic had been “acting irresponsibly.”
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has praised an increase in defense spending from European and Canadian allies
US President Donald Trump has long accused NATO’s European allies of not spending enough on defense, something they have been keen to push back on
Ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara, Rutte said that $258 billion in extra spending by Canada and Europe in 2025 and 2026 was “staggering.”
“When you look at the defense industry – on both sides of the Atlantic – we are talking about almost 200,000 jobs in the US supported by European and Canadian investments,” Rutte said. Job creation in Europe and Canada had also come directly as a result of investments in the defense industry, he said
While last year’s NATO summit at the Hague, the Netherlands was about “planning” and “targeting,” Rutte said that this year’s summit “is about implementation, getting it done.”
Iran’s army said it launched a drone attack on Bahrain’s Isa Air base, which hosts US forces, early Wednesday following the latest wave of US strikes on Iran, semi-official Fars news agency reported
“All US bases in the region will be legitimate targets for army drones,” the army’s public relations office said
Earlier, Bahrain’s interior ministry said sirens were sounding in the country
The reported drone attack by Iran’s army comes after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it launched missiles and drones at 85 US military targets across Bahrain and Kuwait
The IRGC operates separately from the rest of the Iranian armed forces and has its own army, navy, air force, intelligence and special forces branches. Its role is to preserve the Islamic republic, and it reports directly to the supreme leader
