Khamenei calls Trump’s signature ‘worthless’ as US-Iran MoU collapses

Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei issued a written statement on Saturday declaring that President Donald Trump's signature on the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding is "utterly worthless and devoid of credibility," warning that Iran and the Axis of Resistance have "unforgettable lessons in store" for the United States as the conflict between the two nations intensifies.marketscreener+2

MoU Collapses Amid Renewed Fighting

The statement came as Iran formally suspended its obligations under the MoU and U.S. Central Command announced it had completed a seventh consecutive night of strikes against Iranian military targets, hitting surveillance sites, underground weapons storage, and maritime capabilities. The Associated Press reported Saturday that the U.S. military disclosed the first American troop deaths from direct Iranian fire since the war's opening days, with two service members killed and another missing in an attack on a base in Jordan, bringing the total to 16 U.S. troops killed since the conflict began.reuters+2

The 14-point Islamabad Memorandum, signed on June 15 by Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, was meant to establish a ceasefire and open a 60-day window for negotiating a comprehensive deal covering Iran's nuclear program, sanctions relief, and the Strait of Hormuz. Trump himself declared the agreement "over" on July 7, accusing Iran of not honoring its terms.tbsnews+2

A Supreme Leader Unseen

Khamenei, who succeeded his father Ali Khamenei after the elder leader was killed in U.S.-Israeli strikes on February 28, has not appeared publicly since that day. Multiple reports indicate he sustained a leg wound during the same attack. His July 18 statement was issued in writing, continuing a pattern of communication through text and social media rather than public appearances.themedialine+2

Diplomatic Collapse

Iran's Foreign Ministry had already signaled the rupture days earlier, with spokesperson Esmail Baghaei accusing the U.S. of "openly violating" the ceasefire and ruling out a second round of talks in Islamabad. Analysts say the MoU's vague language on key issues, particularly control of the Strait of Hormuz, left it vulnerable to collapse. "The MoU is in crisis and you now need a secondary deal to restore it," said Mohanad Hage Ali of the Carnegie Middle East Center.news18+1