United States President Donald Trump has extended the ceasefire with Iran, citing divisions within Tehran’s leadership.
The two-week ceasefire, which had been due to expire on Wednesday, will now remain in place until Iran’s leaders present a unified proposal to end the conflict with the United States and Israel, Trump said.
“Based on the fact that the Government of Iran is seriously fractured, not unexpectedly so and, upon the request of Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, of Pakistan, 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 said in a post on Truth Social.
“I have therefore directed our Military to continue the Blockade and, in all other respects, remain ready and able, and will therefore extend the Ceasefire until such time as their proposal is submitted, and discussions are concluded, one way or the other,” the president added.
The announcement marked a shift in tone from earlier in the day, when Trump told CNBC’s “Squawk Box” that he did not wish to extend the ceasefire, stating, “I don’t want to do that”, when asked about prolonging the truce.
The decision comes as diplomatic efforts appear to be stalling. A planned trip by Vice President JD Vance to Pakistan for a second round of negotiations with Iranian officials has reportedly been put on hold following a lack of response from Tehran to the latest U.S. proposals.
Tensions have also been heightened by sharp rhetoric from Iranian officials. An adviser to parliamentary speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf described the ceasefire extension as “a ploy to buy time” for a potential surprise military strike, according to Reuters.
The adviser also warned that the ongoing U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports was “no different from bombardment and must be met with a military response”.
At the centre of the dispute remains the Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for global oil supplies. Iran effectively closed the waterway at the outset of the conflict, prompting sharp disruptions to energy markets.
Trump has said the ceasefire was conditional on the full reopening of the Strait. However, shipping traffic has remained limited, and following an initial failed round of peace talks, the U.S. imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports near the passage.
The current ceasefire was originally brokered on 7 April, with U.S. and Iranian officials holding an initial round of negotiations in Islamabad. Those talks, which included U.S. envoys and Iranian representatives, concluded after 21 hours without a breakthrough.
Despite the setbacks, Trump has maintained optimism about a potential agreement, stating earlier that the U.S. is “going to end up with a great deal” with Iran.
