Trump says US agrees to continue talks with Iran but declares truce over
Diplomacy and military might rarely go hand in hand, but when they meet in a single statement, the world holds its breath. The US president confirms his willingness to talk, yet declares the ceasefire over. Iran warns of retaliation for strikes on its infrastructure. This paradox is the essence of the current standoff, where every move could be either a bridge to peace or a trigger for renewed escalation. Talks next week in Switzerland may either ease tensions or detonate them entirely.
On Friday, US President Donald Trump said that Washington had agreed to continue negotiations with Iran, despite having notified Tehran that the truce was over. "The Islamic Republic of Iran asked us to continue 'talks.' We agreed, but the United States made it unequivocally clear to them that the TRUCE IS OVER!" Trump wrote on Truth Social. As CNN reported on Friday, citing a diplomat familiar with the situation, Qatari mediators travelled to Iran after coordinating with the Trump administration in an attempt to reduce tensions and restart US Iran talks. A new round of negotiations is expected next week, possibly in Switzerland, according to US media outlet Axios, citing a source familiar with the matter.
Later that day, US Central Command spokesman Tim Hawkins said there were no "operational updates" following Trump's statement. Asked whether the end of the truce would lead to a resumption of airstrikes, Hawkins said he would not speculate on future operations. He said US forces in the region "remain vigilant, lethal and ready to execute operations at the direction of the commander in chief." Despite diplomatic moves, the United States carried out airstrikes on several cities in southern Iran on Wednesday and Thursday, as well as on two railway bridges in northeastern Iran, saying the attacks were in response to "Iran's recent attacks on commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz."
In addition, Iranian media reported on Friday that US strikes over the past two days had destroyed 30 fishing vessels in the port of Bandar Abbas in southern Iran. Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, warned on Friday that Iran would respond to any attack on its infrastructure and that Israel would not escape its response.
The US Iran truce was reached in April 2026 after a series of direct clashes and diplomatic efforts mediated by Qatar. However, fresh strikes on Iranian infrastructure and Trump's declaration that the ceasefire is over cast doubt on the future of the agreements. Talks in Switzerland are expected to be a key moment in determining the trajectory of the conflict. As CCTV+ reports. International observers are urging both sides to exercise restraint to avoid a full scale war in the Middle East.
