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First Thing: Trump calls Iran’s leaders ‘scum’ and declares fragile ceasefire over
Donald Trump attends the welcome ceremony for the Nato summit in Ankara. Photograph: Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto/Shutterstock View image in fullscreen Donald Trump attends the welcome ceremony for the Nato summit in Ankara. Photograph: Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto/Shutterstock First Thing: Trump calls Iran’s leaders ‘scum’ and declares fragile ceasefire over Hostilities between US and Iran resume as US president lashes out at ‘vicious, violent people’. Plus the fall out from the USMNT’s exit from the Fifa World Cup Good morning. Hostilities have resumed between the US and Iran. Tehran accused the US of violating the agreement intended to end the war, after the US military launched strikes around the strait of Hormuz and revoked a temporary sanctions waiver for Iranian oil exports. The attacks were the latest in a string of ceasefire violations by the two sides despite a truce that came into effect in April, and have led to an immediate 3% rise in oil prices. Speaking at the Nato summit in Ankara, Donald Trump said the memorandum of understanding with Iran was over and called the country’s leaders “vicious, violent people” who he would not deal with because they were, in the US president’s words, “scum”. He nevertheless appeared to indicate that talks would continue. Nato’s secretary general, Mark Rutte, backed the US attacks, saying: “When you have a ceasefire and Iran is basically violating the ceasefire, I think it is totally crucial that the US forcefully react.” What occurred to break the fragile ceasefire? The US military said that it hit more than 80 targets in the early hours of Wednesday in response to Iranian attacks on three commercial vessels that were passing through the strait of Hormuz on Tuesday. Iran responded by launching attacks on US military sites in Bahrain and Kuwait. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said 85 facilities had been targeted. Bernie Sanders calls on Graham Platner to withdraw from Senate race View image in fullscreen Bernie Sanders with Graham Platner in May. Photograph: Robert F Bukaty/AP The progressive senator Bernie Sanders called on Graham Platner to withdraw from the US Senate race in Maine, citing “very serious allegations” of sexual assault, hours before the nominee faced another claim of sexual misconduct. Platner has denied the latest allegations, reported by Politico and later by the Washington Post, but the initial report prompted a wave of prominent Democrats to urge him to stand aside as the party’s nominee in the consequential Senate contest. Platner has said he is “taking the time to reflect on the best path forward”. How could Democrats replace Platner? It is possible for Democrats to select a new Senate nominee in Maine, but the clock is ticking. To have a new candidate on the ballot for November’s midterm elections, Platner needs to end his campaign by 5pm ET on 13 July, according to state law. That would give the Democrats a two-week window – until 5pm ET on 27 July – to pick a replacement
