10 July 2026

The United States and Iran have restarted hostilities. Washington confirmed attacks on sites inside Iran while Tehran struck American bases in Kuwait and Bahrain. Merchant vessels came under fire in the Strait of Hormuz just before these events. President Trump announced that the ceasefire deal is finished. European media outlets assess the danger of further escalation.

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Der Standard observes:

“No one should be astonished that the truce in the Persian Gulf collapsed so quickly. Built-in ambiguities in the brief US-Iran memorandum make fresh misunderstandings almost inevitable. Even if fighting stops again soon, this will not be the final episode.”

The NRC points out that neither side wants a drawn-out fight and adds:

“This points toward renewed talks, yet trust will be lower than before. Trump would struggle to handle either extreme of all-out war or full diplomacy, so relations are likely to settle somewhere in between.”

Naftemporiki sees limited options for Washington:

“Rising fuel and grocery costs across America hurt Republican chances in the November mid-terms. Trump cannot risk another war. Tehran knows this weakness and exploits it. The mullahs, not Washington, decide when matters are truly over. They control the Strait of Hormuz with drones and missiles, giving them leverage that US firepower alone cannot overcome.”

Dagens Nyheter describes a deadlock:

“Tehran understands that Trump will not accept the heavy costs of large ground operations to seize the Strait or uranium sites. Hours after declaring the ceasefire over, he ruled out full-scale war. Iran is weakened economically and militarily, yet it still holds the Strait and keeps its population under tight control.”

The Neue Zürcher Zeitung notes the uncertain position of Iran’s new leaders:

“The regime feels triumphant after surviving conflict with the American superpower. Massive crowds at the funeral of revolutionary leader Ali Khamenei showed its staying power. After the burial, however, the struggle for survival goes on. The theocracy remains unpopular with most citizens, and this challenge may grow under the new, little-known leader Mojtaba Khamenei.”

Salzburger Nachrichten faults the US president’s approach:

“Diplomacy needs more than paper agreements; it requires some basic trust. Trump undermines that trust by publicly calling the Iranian regime ‘scum’ and ‘liars.’ Insulting a negotiating partner, whatever one thinks of the regime, is the opposite of useful diplomacy.”

The Economist expects Iran to return to talks despite its threats:

“Two factors may restrain Iran’s military leaders. First is military reality: recent US strikes show the war and talks have produced no clear winner. Gulf neighbors now back a firmer American line and urge Europe and China to increase pressure. Second is the economy: once funeral crowds leave, Iran still faces a fragile and isolated economy.”