U.S. and Iran Trade Strikes For Second Night in a Row After Trump Says Cease-Fire Is ‘Over’

With the Gulf countries once again feeling the volatility of the renewed hostilities, leaders in and around the region have called for de-escalation and restraint.

In a call with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Thursday, Qatar’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani condemned the Iranian attacks on vessels.

They “undermine trust, threaten international maritime security, and harm efforts to consolidate regional security and stability,” he said, according to an update shared by Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Egypt’s Foreign Ministry equally denounced the Iranian attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait, calling them “a dangerous escalation and an unacceptable violation.”

Following a second night of traded strikes, the current status of the U.S.-Iran negotiations remains unclear.

When asked about the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed on June 17, Trump told reporters Wednesday: “I think it’s over. I don’t want to deal with them anymore.”