President Donald Trump declared the ceasefire in Iran to be over but said peace talks would continue despite days of retaliatory attacks from both sides.
In a Truth Social post on Friday, Trump said he had informed Iranian officials “in no uncertain terms, that the Cease Fire is OVER” while still agreeing to continue talks. The declaration comes after Trump said earlier this week he was unsure if a peace deal could be reached and that negotiations were a “waste of time.”
The terminated ceasefire leaves the status of the memorandum of understanding signed by both the U.S. and Iran last month in doubt. The two-page agreement outlined a plan to end the war and prevent Iran from developing nuclear capabilities, although recent strikes from both countries in recent days makes it unclear if a long-term peace deal is possible.
That may raise questions among lawmakers such as Utah Sen. John Curtis who have pushed for Congress to weigh in. With the ceasefire ending, it may give lawmakers an opportunity to vote on formally approving military action in Iran — something Curtis has previously told the Deseret News he is exploring.
Utah Rep. Blake Moore called the recent U.S. strikes a justifiable response from Trump as he criticized Iran for failing to uphold its side of the ceasefire agreement.
“The Iranian Revolutionary Guard continues to harass, threaten, and fire upon commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, even after signing a ceasefire, which is an unacceptable state of play,” Moore told the Deseret News in a statement. “The Trump administration made the decision to respond proportionally in an effort to keep the Strait of Hormuz open and prevent Iran from asserting control of an international waterway.”
Moore has similarly told the Deseret News in previous interviews that Congress should have an opportunity to weigh in on the war at some point.
Under the War Powers Act, the president is required to notify Congress within 48 hours of launching a military attack, and U.S. forces can only stay in the area for 60 days. The president has the ability to extend that window for another 30 days, but any longer than that would require congressional approval.
Trump formally notified Congress of the operation on March 2, meaning the 60-day and 90-day windows have already expired. That could open the door for lawmakers to force a vote limiting Trump’s authority.
