THE CONSPIRACY, THE INTRICACY AND THE DIPLOMACY OF THE ENRAGED POLITICAL JOBBERS AGAINST APAGUN OLAOLU SAMUEL

Apagun 

Politics in Nigeria has always been a theater of alliances, betrayals, intrigues, suspense and calculated moves. The current pushback against Apagun Olaolu Samuel fits that pattern, but with a sharper edge. What is playing out is less about ideology and more about control, access, and who gets to sit at the table.

Late Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, the assumed creator of Fuji music once sang in one of his records portraying a cart pusher after running through a bend claiming to have sped 140km per hour, conclusively singing if a cart pusher can speed at that rate, what speed would driver of Rolls-Royce or Mercedes-Benz acclaimed. Subsequently, he noted that if the deceived do not know, the deceiver will definitely know he is deceiving the ignorants.

The Ogun State Labour Party conspiracy theory had long been penned immediately after the fallout of the alliance windfall in 2023, some beneficiaries after the unexpected financial benefits, attracted from the need to get more, formed a caucus around Mr. Kehinde Sogunle, the gubernatorial aspirant who sold out to PDP, to defend him at all cost, for them to be recognized and probably be recommended by him for appointments if peradventure Chief Ladi Adebutu, the candidate of PDP win the pending governorship case, since he was the sole negotiator with Ladi Adebutu and the already penned down Chief of Staff to be. Knowing that position is of high influence, some political jobbers swirled around him for patronage while some of us were bent on rebuilding Labour Party for better performance come this 2027 which ultimately set wedge in-between us.

*1. The Conspiracy: What the Jobbers Are Allegedly Doing*

"Political jobbers" in this context refers to operatives whose influence depends on patronage, contracts, and appointments rather than an elected mandate. 

The narrative circulating is that a loose coalition of these jobbers became "enraged" after Apagun Olaolu Samuel and his team of men and women who believed in political renaissance began to disrupt their established channels of influence. The alleged moves include:

- *Media narratives*: Coordinated press releases and social media smear campaigns aimed at framing Samuel as an unrepentant dissident who does not "understand how things are done."

- *Gatekeeping*: Blocking access to party structures, transactional politics, and funding lines that traditionally flow through jobber networks.

- *Delegitimization*: Questioning his loyalty, legality,  pedigree, and motives within party caucuses and stakeholder meetings.

The goal, according to sources close to the situation, is not outright removal but political containment. Make him a second class Chairman in order to silence him perpetually while he is being understudy by their men.

*2. The Intricacies: Why This Fight Is Not Straightforward*

This is not just Apagun vs. "the system." The intricacies make it messy:

- *Factions within factions*: Not all jobbers are aligned. Some see Samuel as a threat. Others see him as a potential new patron that is trying to cut a nitch for himself. That split creates double games and leaks.

- *Grassroots vs. Establishment*: Samuel appears to draw support from a base that is tired of recycled names. The jobbers rely on power brokers watching and walking the corridors of power in Abuja while Apagun rely solely on the structures and legitimate Congress as witness by INEC and security agencies. That clash of legitimacy vs. machinery is where most of the tension lives.

- *Timing*: In Nigerian politics, these battles intensify ahead of appointments, primaries, or Congress cycles. The timing of the pushback suggests someone feels their access is about to shrink.

- *Narrative warfare*: Both sides are fighting for the story. One side sells "reform and discipline." The other sells "experience and stability." Voters and party elders are the real audience.

*3. The Diplomacy: How It Is Being Managed*

Open war is bad for business. So the response has been diplomatic, even while the knives are out.

- *Elders and Intermediaries*: Senior party leaders are reportedly stepping in to broker truces. The language is always "unity" and "party supremacy," but the subtext is power sharing.

- *Backchannel talks*: Meetings in Abuja, Abeokuta, and Ijebu-ode are being used to test offers while financial influence are the usual bargaining chips.

- *Public restraint*: Despite the heat online, official statements from Samuel's camp have stayed measured. That is strategic. It keeps him looking like the calm one, while forcing the jobbers to overreach.

- *Coalition building*: Diplomacy here also means finding new allies.  Youth groups, professional bodies, and even rival jobbers are being courted to widen Samuel's base beyond the current fight.

*4. What This Means Going Forward*

Three scenarios are likely:

1. *Accommodation*: The jobbers without negotiation placed Samuel in their official list for acceptability, but with limits on his influence. This is the most common Nigerian political ending.

2. *Escalation*: If no deal is reached, expect more leaks, petitions, and primary challenges designed to exhaust him. But his consistency and resilience will see him through as the legitimate Chairman of the Labour Party Ogun State or otherwise another round of legal battles will rock the boat of the party which is not in the best interest of anyone.

3. *Breakthrough*: If Samuel sustains grassroots support and attracts independent funding, he could bypass the jobber structure entirely.

The real test will be endurance. Conspiracies burn out. Intricacies get exposed. Diplomacy only works if both sides see more to gain from peace than from war.

*Bottom line*: This is not just about one man. It is about how power is distributed when an outsider refuses to play by old rules. The enraged jobbers are defending a system. Apagun Olaolu Samuel is testing whether that system can still say no.

© Apagun Olaolu Samuel 

Chairman,

Labour Party, Ogun State

DON'T LOSE EDO, NIGERIA IN 2027 TO CANDIDATES IMPOSITION, VOTERS BOYCOTT - Stakeholders tell Seriake Dickson, Peter Obi

High-stake leaders of thought of Edo extraction from across Nigeria converged yesterday in a solemn meeting in Abuja to appraise the state of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and the widely disputed outcomes of the party's primaries for the 2027 general elections, which held across the country on May 28 and 29, 2026.

The special emergency meeting, which held in the home of a prominent Edo businessman in the nation's capital, also drew representatives from the amalgamated Obedient-Kwankwaso and NDC grassroots support coordinators.

The conveners expressed deep distress and alarm over what they described as "unresolved scandals currently leading to nationwide loss of confidence in the NDC by Nigerians, attributed to widespread displacement and replacement of actual winners of the NDC primaries with either unlawful or entirely unqualified aspirants."

Speaking at the summit, a frontline stakeholder of the party in Edo state, Pa Victor Aguebor, stated: "In Edo state alone, documents of hundreds of petitioners and nearly a dozen court litigations we have assessed severely indict some officials of the party, especially the party's South-South zonal chairman and Edo state chairman of NDC, who headed the committee charged with the conduct of the party's primaries in Edo state."

According to the conveners, these documents graphically demonstrated that the indicted party officials encouraged, solicited and opened themselves to unpardonable corrupt practices. 

They claim that these involved displacing aspirants who participated and clearly won the primaries with others who either lost primaries in their previous political parties before their emergency decamping to the NDC, or did not participate at all in the NDC primaries of Edo state, yet allegedly bribed their way "heavily" to emerge as the winners of those primaries. 

Supporting their claim with a video shared on a large screen for the conveners, Aguebor stated:  "The NDC South-South zonal chairman, Barr. Frederick Enderokeme Owotorufa, and Edo state chairman of the party, Mr. David Olukoga, are prime actors in this unfortunate and shameful misadventure in modern day Edo political history."

Aguebor asserted, "Working hand in gloves, as seen in this video, the South-South zonal chairman Barr. Owotorufa, announced that all results of the party primaries in the state should be submitted to his committee for official and prompt announcement in Benin, the state capital."

"Yet," Aguebor continued, "upon receiving the actual results of winners, both the zonal chairman, Barr. Owotorufa, and state chairman, Olukoga, did not announce the winners of the primaries till date. Only for them, it is widely reported, to compile their own names of individuals who sufficiently met their unpatriotic mercantile appetites, and shortlisted the supplanters to INEC as the party's candidates for the 2027 elections, thus replacing the winners with losers. Edo state shall be the last frontier in Nigeria to swallow this evil. Because this is an evil which comprehensively endangers the victory of the NDC in Edo state and entire Nigeria in the 2027 elections," Aguebor said.

The stakeholder of the party in Edo state went on to cite a specific scenario in Oredo Federal Constituency primary for which the alleged actual winner was allegedly displaced with a decampee from the APC who earlier failed at his APC party primaries and did not participate in the NDC primaries.

The stakeholders, however, commended highly other leaders of the party in the state. These include 3rd Republic Sen. Rolland Owie who is the Edo South leader of the party, Bishop Isaac Idahosa, who was the vice presidential candidate to His Excellency Rabui Kwankwaso in the 2023 presidential elections, LGA chairmen under Oredo federal constituency  and ward party officials. These officials, they said, have consistently kept their hands clean from the Owotorufa and Olukoga candidates subversion scandal and crises till date. 

At the end of the meeting, the Edo stakeholders hailed and endorsed a national petition from the South-East zone of the country against the NDC primaries. Issued by the Obi-Kwankwaso Movement Global (OKMG), and signed by its global coordinator, Anglican Rev. Pius Ndubueze Ukachukwu, the petition was addressed to the national leadership of the NDC and dated June 8, 2026.

Similar to the Edo stakeholders, the South-East petition highlighted that the negative impact of the pervading injustices recorded in the NDC primaries nationwide "threatens to become irreversible."

It stated, "Public confidence in the NDC has been shattered. Loyal members feel betrayed and are threatening defection. Young activists - the party's future - are walking away in disgust... Most critically, the collapse of grassroots mobilization directly undermines every effort and progress made toward the 2027 general elections."

The Edo meeting further aligned with the South-East petition in demanding "the immediate release of all authentic congress results, a forensic audit of all fraudulently awarded tickets, disciplinary actions against complicit officials, such as the party's South-South zonal chairman Barr. Frederick Owotorufa and the Edo state chapter chairman David Olukoga."

Similar to the South-East network, the Edo meeting also called for "urgent party support to authentic, verified and short-changed candidates to reactivate grassroots mobilization," which, according to them has lost momentum and flattened out since the "ill-fated party primaries in late May."

In an incisive, foreboding declaration, senior chieftain of the NDC in the state, Barr. Patrick Agbontaen, asserted, "We wish to reinforce the impeccable view of our South-East counterparts that "a party which cannot manage its own internal democracy cannot credibly ask the Nigerians for national mandate."

"Edo state is special in Nigeria's national politics dating back to pre-Independence demand for our country's liberation from colonial rule. 

"It is not by accident that outside Lagos state, Edo was the hottest theatre in the MKO Abiola nationwide June 12, 1993 election protests, and twenty years later the epicentre of the 2023 Obedient ballot tsunami. Edo state, take it or leave it, is the cradle of modern Nigeria's democracy. Testing the will of our people by imposing unwanted and unpopular candidates on them against their preferred candidates will be fatal to the NDC nationwide in 2027. To be forewarned is to be forearmed," Barr. Agbontaen concluded.

Kidnapped School Children and their Teachers in Oyo State Rescued by Security Agencies

The kidnapped schoolchildren and teachers by bandits and terrorists in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State have been rescued after about 56 days in captivity.

A statement by presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga confirmed that the victims were freed through the efforts of combined security agencies.

HIS FULL STATEMENT:

STATEHOUSE PRESS STATEMENT 

PRESIDENT TINUBU EXPRESSES JOY OVER THE RESCUE OF ORIIRE ABDUCTED CHILDREN AND TEACHERS, COMMENDS SECURITY AGENCIES

President Bola Tinubu has expressed profound joy at the successful rescue of the children and teachers from Oriire community in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, by the security forces. 

President Tinubu praised the heroic efforts of the security agencies, especially the military, the DSS and the police, for working round the clock in the last 56 days to secure the release of the abducted children and their teachers without any collateral damage and for arresting eight of the abductors and neutralising others.

President Tinubu regretted the anguish that the children and their teachers, as well as members of their families and the entire nation, have experienced since the sad occurrence.

For cooperating with the Federal Government in all rescue efforts, President Tinubu commended the Oyo State Government and charged it to ensure adequate security around schools across the state. 

"I am profoundly happy that our security forces successfully rescued the abducted pupils and teachers from Orire, Ogbomoso in Oyo State today after a military, police and intelligence-driven operation that neutralised some of the terrorists that perpetrated the evil act and the arrest of eight of them. 

"This successful military operation has ended the siege and standoff of over 50 days and has brought relief to the entire nation and the affected families in particular. On behalf of the country, I express my gratitude to the officers and men of our armed forces, the intelligence agencies and the police for the safe rescue of the children and their teachers. 

"My government will get justice for these children and their teachers and for the family of Mr Oyedokun, who the terrorists gruesomely murdered. 

"I must commend the government of Oyo State for working cooperatively with us in bringing this unfortunate incident to a successful end," the President said. 

President Tinubu has also directed that the emergency agencies work with the Oyo State Government to provide all necessary medical and relief support to the children and the teachers. 

Bayo Onanuga

Special Adviser to the President 

(Information and Strategy)

July 10, 2026

JUWON Moves to Drag Three Osun High Court Judges Before NJC Over Alleged Conflicting Orders on Subsisting 1997 Judgment

The Judiciary Watch of Nigeria (JUWON) has concluded arrangements to petition three judges of the Osun State High Court before the National Judicial Council (NJC) over what it described as a series of conflicting and legally untenable orders allegedly issued in respect of a valid and subsisting High Court judgment delivered nearly three decades ago.


According to the judiciary watchdog, the petition centres on Suit No. HOS/71/93 – Hephzibah Holdings Ltd v. Madam Sinatu Adeoye & 4 Others, in which the former Acting Chief Judge of Osun State, Hon. Justice R.O. Yusuf, delivered judgment on February 25, 1997.


JUWON alleged that the three judicial officers, whose identities were withheld, had been entertaining applications initiated by agents and privies of the judgment debtor and proceeded to issue orders that allegedly sought to frustrate, undermine and render ineffective the execution of the subsisting judgment, rather than directing the dissatisfied parties to seek appropriate relief before the appellate court.


The organisation maintained that once a court has become functus officio after delivering its final judgment, it lacks jurisdiction to revisit the substantive issues already determined except in circumstances recognised by law. It therefore argued that any orders capable of obstructing the execution of the 1997 judgment amount to a miscarriage of justice and fall far below the constitutional and ethical standards expected of judicial officers entrusted with preserving the integrity of the judicial system.


JUWON further recalled that the same High Court had earlier granted leave for the substitution of the judgment creditor and authorised the execution of the judgment, including the issuance of a warrant of possession over the disputed property. It noted that before delivering judgment in 1997, Justice R.O. Yusuf personally visited the locus in quo to ascertain the exact boundaries of the land in dispute before making his final determination.


The organisation explained that counsel to the judgment creditor, Lekan Alabi, subsequently approached the High Court through Suit No. HOS/M.206/2024 solely to obtain administrative approval necessary to facilitate the enforcement of the declaratory judgment in favour of Madam Sinatu Adeoye, describing the application as a procedural step intended to ensure compliance with the court's judgement.


JUWON further stated that the Chief Bailiff of the Osun State High Court duly submitted his report on the execution of the judgment on 30th day of April, 2025. It, however, alleged that despite the completion of the execution process, subsequent orders issued by the affected judges created legal obstacles to the judgment creditor's possession of the property while allegedly providing undue protection to agents and privies of the judgment debtor.


According to the group, the development created an atmosphere in which the judgment debtor and associated parties allegedly became emboldened to initiate the arrest, harassment and prosecution of the judgment creditor's counsel, Lekan Alabi, as well as the lawful attorney to the judgment creditor, Najeem Popoola, actions which the organisation described as an abuse of legal and security processes.


JUWON further alleged that personnel drawn from various security agencies—including the Osun State Police Command, the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Alagbon, the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Unit, the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters, officers of the Nigerian Army from the Engineering Regiment, Ede, the Osogbo Military Depot, as well as operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC)—were allegedly deployed in connection with the dispute.


In a statement signed by the Deputy National Secretary of JUWON, Comrade Michael James on Friday, the organisation disclosed that the conduct of the three judicial officers had remained under close observation for approximately one year, adding that it had now resolved to formally present its findings before the National Judicial Council for appropriate disciplinary consideration.


The statement read in part:"It is deeply disturbing that after a court has become functus officio on a matter, legal practitioners still approach the same court with applications capable of reopening issues already conclusively determined. More disturbing is the willingness of judicial officers to entertain such applications and issue orders that effectively prevent a successful litigant from enjoying the fruits of a lawful judgment.


"Judicial officers are sworn to preserve the sanctity, dignity and integrity of the courts. They must resist every attempt to manipulate the judicial process and remain steadfast in ensuring that justice, fairness and the rule of law prevail. The temple of justice must remain sacred and beyond compromise."


Meanwhile, during proceedings in Suit No. HOS/M.206/2024 before the Osun State High Court sitting in Ikire on February 25, 2026, presided over by Hon. Justice S.A. Oke, the court directed counsel to the judgment creditor, Lekan Alabi, to serve copies of the 1982, 1997 and 2016 judgments relating to the disputed property on all occupants of the land, observing that under established legal principles, ownership of land extends to everything attached to it.


JUWON also recalled that in Suit No. HOS/102/82, instituted by Shittu Ladimeji (Oladimeji) & 3 Others, representing the Iyiolu Alare Family of Osogbo, against Madam Sinatu Adeoye, the court dismissed the claim in its entirety and awarded substantial costs in favour of Madam Adeoye.


Similarly, the organisation referenced Suit No. HOS/81/13 – Mrs. Sidikatu Busari v. Alhaji Dele Yes Sir, in which the court awarded ₦5 million in damages against Alhaji Dele Yes Sir for acts of further trespass on a portion of the disputed land located near the Steel Rolling Mills Residential Quarters, popularly known as Iyana Camp, Osogbo.


According to JUWON, the succession of proprietary interests over the judgment land subsequently passed from the late Madam Sinatu Adeoye to the late Mrs. Sidikatu Busari and is now represented by Misitura Busari, who continues to pursue the enforcement of the subsisting judgments.


The organisation concluded by expressing concern over what it described as conflicting judicial pronouncements capable of eroding public confidence in the administration of justice.It posed a question it believes deserves urgent reflection within the justice sector;


"If the courts cannot consistently uphold and enforce their own valid and subsisting judgments, what confidence should members of the public have in the judicial system and the rule of law?"

American Donald Trump plans to boost support for Ukraine for a military breakthrough against Russia

Putin Always Open to Dialogue 

President Donald Trump announced in Ankara, Turkey during a NATO submit that the United States will give Ukraine a license to manufacture Patriot air-defense interceptor missiles.


This follows an acclaimed Ukraine’s recent battlefield successes that impressed him. The move also aims to strengthen Ukraine’s defenses against Russian attacks by enabling local production of the Patriot air-defense interceptor missiles. while fitting into a broader plan of increased military funding by NATO allies to help Ukraine push for breakthroughs and negotiate peace from a stronger position.


According to a Russian news outlet, quoting  the head of state's press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, there is possibility of a conversation between the presidents of Russia and the United States, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump over the war in Ukraine.

Dmitry Peskov during Thursday's briefing made the hints , adding that Russia believes US President Donald Trump was mistaken in suggesting that an escalation of military operations between Russia and Ukraine could contribute to an early settlement: "This is a misconception. Rising tensions and further escalation cannot contribute to a peace process in any way."

Dmitry Peskov addressed some of the issues:

About the possibility of a Putin-Trump conversation

- US President Donald Trump, who had planned to call Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday, was apparently busy after his meetings in Ankara and did not contact Moscow, but the Russian president is always glad to speak with his US counterpart: "Mr. Trump was apparently very busy after all his contacts in Ankara, so no one called yesterday."




- Putin "is open to dialogue

President Vladimir Putin of Russia and President Donald Trump of the United States have managed to maintain a constructive dialogue despite their differences: "They maintain a truly constructive dialogue despite the differences they might have."





"The more strikes Kiev carries out inside Russia, the broader the buffer zone Moscow will have to establish along the Ukrainian border: "The more strikes the Kiev regime carries out on our infrastructure facilities, the wider the security zones we will need to create. Further escalation will likely prolong the special military operation to some extent, although I cannot say by how much, and it will certainly force us to create a broader buffer security zone."




- US President Donald Trump's statements regarding a possible closure of the Ukrainian airspace are new developments; this topic has not been discussed before and needs to be thoroughly studied.

 "No one had previously raised the issue of closing the airspace. In any case, this would imply operational activities by NATO member states' armed forces over Ukrainian territory. This is precisely what the special military operation is intended to prevent. This [proposal] needs to be studied. It definitely needs to be thoroughly analyzed to understand how this issue has been worked out, between whom it has been worked out, etc


About the US position on Ukraine

Moscow perceives a duplicity in Washington's stance, with the United States simultaneously supplying weapons to Kiev while professing to support efforts toward peace: "We recognize discrepancies in the US position. On one hand, they continue to provide arms to the Kiev regime; on the other, unlike some other countries involved in this conflict, they claim to be committed to facilitating the peace process."




- Russia welcomes the United States' genuine willingness to help launch a peace process on Ukraine: "Still, unlike the Europeans, the United States maintains a willingness to help launch a peace process. Even if it sometimes misunderstands certain issues and makes mistakes, we believe this willingness is genuine, and we welcome it."




Washington is actively continuing to supply weapons and military technologies to Kiev; Moscow is well aware of this and has no delusions: "As for Patriot, yes, it is an obvious fact: the United States generally continues to supply weapons and military technologies to Ukraine. This is indeed true and we know it. We are in no way delusional. Russian President [Vladimir] Putin is well aware of this."




- Moscow hopes that Washington will resume its efforts on the Ukrainian track after it deals with the situation around Iran: "We hope that after, despite the significant complication, the USs still manage to sort out the situation around Iran, it will be time for them to resume their efforts on the Ukrainian track."




Source: Tags

Tehran declares Islamabad Agreement, MoU with US terminated, says the framework has officially collapsed after Trump’s remarks in Turkey

The Islamic Republic of Iran has declared the Islamabad Agreement and Memorandum of Understanding with the United States terminated, saying the framework has officially collapsed after President Trump’s remarks.

Tehran says the development gives it a broader mandate to confront the United States, Israel, and what it describes as their regional and global proxies. US bases in the middle east have been targeted in response to the US airstrike against iran by the US military.

US President Donald Trump had on Wednesday in Turkey, said the truce with Iran is over.

"For me, the truce with Iran is over. They are evil, sick people, and we must get rid of them. They are a cancer."

Trump, stated that, as far as he is concerned, the truce with Iran is over. Tehran has stated that any passage through the waterway must be coordinated with the Iranian military. The United States has responded with attacks on Iran, while Tehran is sending drones and missiles to U.S. bases in Kuwait and Bahrain.

Saudi Arabia strongly condemns repeated Iranian attacks against Kuwait and Bahrain, affirming that these acts constitute a violation of state sovereignty and international law. The same Kingdom supported the joint US and Israel's unprovoked attacks against the Islamic Republic.


According to U.S. government sources, the U.S. Navy is expected to relaunch its naval blockade operation against Iran within the next few hours.


The plan would not only bar the Islamic Republic from exporting petrochemical products and natural gas but also prevent commercial vessels from operating from Iranian ports. The sources further indicated that the operation would be more extensive than previous efforts and would be accompanied by daily airstrikes against military targets in Iran.


Trump didn’t wait for Washington. He reportedly gave the green light to strike Iran while attending the NATO summit in Turkey. Diplomacy just took a back seat to military force. Trump warns the US could take out Iran's electricity and water plants if necessary, but says he does not want to do so.


He said Israel would have been “blown to pieces” by Iran without him as president and Benjamin Netanyahu as prime minister, saying the two had made “a lot of progress” with Iran.


“If you had other prime ministers, you know what? There wouldn’t be an Israel right now,” Trump told reporters at a NATO summit in Ankara on Wednesday. “It would have been blown to pieces by Iran.”


“If you had a weak prime minister ... And if you had a different president, I guarantee there wouldn’t be an Israel. Israel wouldn’t exist today if you didn’t have me as president,” Trump added.


“We’ve made a lot of progress with Iran, too,” Trump said. “Wiped out their military, but they should have been done 47 years ago.”


Certainly, Iran will close the Strait of Hormuz in the event of any fresh attacks on the country and strike at least two enemy targets for every Iranian target hit, Press TV reported Wednesday citing an informed source.


The source said Iran would give a “powerful response” to any threat and would not distinguish between the United States and its regional partners


Trump, in a strategic move to booster the middle eastern front against Iran and proxy allies, lifted all sanctions against Syria.

On the seemly success of his efforts to mobilise NATO allies to joining the war against Tehran, Trump said the United States might abandon efforts to reach a nuclear agreement with Iran, saying it could achieve its objectives without one.

"I don't know if we're going to have a deal," Trump told reporters in Ankara. "We may just do it without a deal, because you know what, it's easier."

Trump said Iran's leaders "lie and they cheat" and accused them of reneging on commitments after negotiations.

"They'll never build a nuclear weapon under our deal," he said. "But I don't know if we're going to have a deal."

Trump also criticized former US President Barack Obama's nuclear agreement with Iran, calling it "one of the worst tragedies" in the Middle East and saying, "Our deal is a wall to a nuclear weapon. His deal was a road to a nuclear weapon."

French President Emmanuel Macron Wednesday said he believed meetings under the 60-day ceasefire between Iran and the United States would continue despite Iranian strikes on US bases in the Persian Gulf.

Macron said the strikes violated the interim accord and that Iran had been mistaken to carry them out. Both Trump and Iranian leaders said separately on Wednesday that the agreement was "over".

On his own part, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday he hoped the US-Iran memorandum of understanding would help bring peace to the region.

“Türkiye remained optimistic but cautious,” Erdogan said at a press conference at the NATO Summit in Ankara alongside French President Emmanuel Macron.

Erdogan warned that measures “must be taken against provocations.”

According to an online report, a source close to Iran's chief negotiator says Iran is preparing a massive, coordinated strike on Israel—hundreds of drones and missiles, including new, never-before-seen weapons—following intelligence that Israel could attack as early as today, per some Iranian outlets.

The source pointed to Hegseth's abrupt Israel trip cancellation and Trump's warning — "I will probably hit them hard again tonight" — as confirmation that escalation is imminent.

The source also emphasized Netanyahu's political calculus: facing October elections, he needs a show of strength — and a strike on Iran would boost his standing. Israel's refusal to withdraw from Lebanon and its willingness to act alone has convinced Tehran that an attack is coming. Iran is preparing accordingly.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called for the United States and Iran to return “back to the ceasefire” and implement a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Speaking at the NATO summit in Ankara, Starmer warned that the economic situation in the United Kingdom and elsewhere would worsen if the violence continued.

“Household bills are likely going to be impacted if we don’t get that situation as quickly as possible,” he said.

The latest US strikes were a “serious violation” of the US-Iran memorandum of understanding, CBS News reported citing government sources inside Iran

Iran has now suspended all talks on a final nuclear settlement with the US, per Iranian source to TASS.

This follows Iran's earlier termination of the Memorandum of Understanding