President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced an indefinite extension to a ceasefire with Iran, hours before it was set to expire and hours after he said he was prepared to resume a devastating bombing campaign.
Writing on Truth Social, Trump said he acted on a request from Pakistan, which has tried to mediate an end to the nearly two-month-long war.
“Based on the fact that the Government of Iran is seriously fractured, not unexpectedly so … we have been asked to hold our Attack on the Country of Iran until such time as their leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal,” Trump wrote. “I have therefore directed our Military to continue the Blockade and, in all other respects, remain ready and able, and will therefore continue the Ceasefire until such time as their proposal is submitted, and discussions are concluded, one way or the other.”
Trump’s announcement came shortly after Vice President JD Vance suspended a planned trip to Islamabad, Pakistan, where he had been scheduled to meet for a second time with Iranian negotiators. Vance put the trip on hold after Iranian officials indicated they were unwilling to resume talks after the U.S. seized an Iranian cargo ship Monday in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran state media quoted a spokesman for the country’s foreign ministry, Esmail Baghaei, as saying officials were reluctant to travel to Pakistan because of “contradictory messages, inconsistent behavior and unacceptable actions by the American side.”
Iranian leaders did not immediately respond to Trump’s ceasefire announcement.
Earlier in the day, Trump suggested he did not want to extend the two-week ceasefire, scheduled to end on Wednesday, Iranian time. He also told CNBC that the U.S. was prepared to immediately resume air strikes if Iran doesn’t make a deal.
“I expect to be bombing because I think that’s a better attitude to go in with,” Trump said. “But we’re ready to go. I mean, the military is raring to go.”
Still, Trump said he believes the U.S. is “going to end up with a great deal,” although he offered no specifics.
He also expressed surprise that the stock market has been so resilient amid the war.
Trump’s announcement came at the end of the trading day on Wall Street, and all major U.S. stock indices were down sharply on Tuesday amid discouraging news about the Iran conflict. Meanwhile, crude oil prices rose again, flirting with the $100-a-barrel mark for Brent crude.
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Iranian vessel seized
The prospect of a new round of talks diminished after the Navy’s seizure of an Iranian-flagged cargo ship on Monday.
Iran accused the U.S. of terrorism, “piracy” and an “act of aggression” that breached the ceasefire. Iranian officials demanded that the crew be released immediately.
U.S. officials said the vessel was attempting to evade a blockade in the Strait of Hormuz and was seized after ignoring repeated warnings for hours.
In announcing the ceasefire, Trump indicated the U.S. blockade of the Strait would continue, although he did not how long the Navy would prevent traffic to and from Iranian ports.
Areas of disagreement
Even if negotiations resume, the two sides are still far from an agreement that would end the nearly two-month-old war.
The U.S. still wants Iran to commit to ending its nuclear program, one of Trump’s stated goals when he approved the first air strikes on Feb. 28. Iran has insisted for years that it was enriching uranium only for civilian purposes, not to manufacture a nuclear weapon.
Negotiations also would likely cover the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway connecting the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. About 20% of the global oil supply and much of the world’s fertilizer supply normally transit through the Strait.
Iran seized control of the Strait in response to the U.S. and Israeli bombing campaign. Its closure has caused oil and fertilizer prices to spike.
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