Waltz says Iran ceasefire has broken down after U.S. strikes
Waltz said the U.S.-Iran ceasefire had broken down after strikes on Iran, while sirens and shipping damage signaled the next phase could hit Gulf traffic and U.S. forces.
American strikes on Iran have broken down the U.S.-Iran ceasefire, U.N. Ambassador Mike Waltz said. Waltz said President Donald Trump had all options on the table and that Tehran was not honoring a performance-based memorandum of understanding.
The latest exchange began after Iran attacked a commercial vessel in the Strait of Hormuz and declared the waterway closed. U.S. forces then struck targets inside Iran, hitting about 140 Iranian military sites, and the aftermath spread quickly beyond the strait. Missile alerts and sirens sounded early Sunday in Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, while the M/V GFS Galaxy suffered significant engine-room damage and its crew abandoned ship before rescue.
Waltz cast doubt on any claim that the violence came from an “errant” faction inside the Iranian system. He said the regime was disciplined and united, citing a brutal crackdown on tens of thousands of protesters in January. He also said Iranian threats extended beyond the ships and bases already in play, saying, “Make no mistake that the Iranian regime is trying to kill President Trump and those around him.”
The memorandum of understanding was read to journalists on June 17 and set a maximum 60-day window to negotiate a final deal, with extension only by mutual consent. It also said the United States would begin removing its naval blockade immediately upon signing and fully end it within 30 days, while Iran would make arrangements for the safe passage of commercial vessels through the Persian Gulf and Sea of Oman. Waltz said technical teams were still talking even as the ceasefire collapsed, but the deadline was already partly elapsed.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed “until further notice” until what it called regional interference by the United States stops. Oman hosted Iranian officials for diplomatic talks on Saturday, and Gulf alarms were already sounding.
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