Trump Declares 60-Day U.S.-Iran Cease-Fire Over as 14 MOU Terms Crumble

3 articles · Updated · The Atlantic · Jul 15

At least three U.S.-Iran tit-for-tat exchanges since the Versailles signing have gutted the cease-fire, with U.S. forces striking more than 150 targets over the weekend and continuing attacks on Tuesday.
The breakdown centers on core MOU promises: fighting was supposed to stop immediately, U.S. forces were to pull back within 30 days, and safe commercial passage through Hormuz was to resume.
Hormuz has instead become the main flashpoint, with Iran declaring the strait closed, Washington restoring its blockade, and Trump briefly proposing a 20% cargo fee before retreating.
Sanctions relief has also unraveled: Treasury waivers on Iran's oil sector were revoked after tanker attacks, and companies have until July 17 to finish transactions before sanctions snap back.
Only the 60-day talks clause is still nominally intact, leaving Trump's push for a nuclear deal by Aug. 21 at risk of sliding into a prolonged, economically costly limbo.