Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, Jul 10: US President Donald Trump on Friday said the United States would continue diplomatic engagement with Iran despite declaring that the ceasefire between the two countries had come to an end following a fresh round of military escalation.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said Iran had requested that negotiations continue and that Washington had agreed to further talks. However, he asserted that the ceasefire was no longer in effect.
The announcement signals that diplomatic channels remain open even as hostilities between the two countries have resumed after the breakdown of the truce reached last month.
The latest developments follow several days of intensified military exchanges that effectively collapsed the temporary ceasefire, which had been intended to halt fighting and create a window for negotiations on a broader peace agreement.
According to reports, US forces carried out strikes on more than 170 Iranian military targets over Tuesday and Wednesday, targeting air defence systems, missile and drone storage facilities, and military speedboats along Iran's southern coastline near the Strait of Hormuz. Additional strikes reportedly hit infrastructure, including a railway bridge in northeastern Iran.
Iran responded with missile and drone attacks targeting US military installations in Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait, while Jordan reported intercepting projectiles entering its airspace, according to international media reports.
The renewed confrontation follows attacks on commercial shipping near the Strait of Hormuz, a strategically important maritime route through which a significant portion of the world's oil supplies passes. The waterway has once again become the focal point of tensions between Washington and Tehran.
Despite the escalation, diplomatic efforts are continuing. Reports said Qatari mediators travelled to Iran in coordination with Washington in an effort to facilitate renewed negotiations and prevent the conflict from widening further. A temporary lull in fighting was also reported on Friday, with US officials indicating that military operations were being calibrated to avoid a broader regional conflict while leaving room for diplomacy.
Analysts have noted that the United States and Iran continue to differ over key aspects of the preliminary understanding reached last month, particularly issues related to navigation and security in the Strait of Hormuz. While both sides remain engaged in dialogue, the latest military exchanges have cast fresh uncertainty over prospects for a lasting settlement.