Trump extends Iran ceasefire as negotiations stall: What to know
President Trump indefinitely extended a ceasefire with Iran on Tuesday evening, as the chances of striking a peace deal before the deadline expired dropped throughout the day.
The chance of negotiations resuming in Pakistan appeared to collapse in the waning hours of the original two-week truce, as Tehran refused to commit to participating in a second round of talks and Vice President Vance remained in Washington.
Trump had threatened to resume bombing if a deal wasn’t reached by 8 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, warning that he was “highly unlikely” to agree to an extension. Iran said it wouldn’t be threatened into negotiations, accusing the U.S. of making unreasonable demands.
The president reversed course on Tuesday afternoon, writing on Truth Social that Pakistani Field Marshal Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif asked the U.S. to “hold our attack on the Country of Iran until such time as their leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal.”
“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 wrote.
Pakistan pushed ahead with preparations for a second round of mediated negotiations in Islamabad, as it urged the two sides to extend the ceasefire. While Trump insisted Iran would ultimately show up for talks, the White House reportedly delayed Vance’s trip amid the uncertainty.
Vance was set to represent the U.S. alongside special envoy Steve Witkoff and the president’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner.
Here’s what to know about where negotiations stood ahead of Trump’s extension:
Trump initially reluctant to extend ceasefire
Pakistan’s Foreign Affairs Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar “urged both sides to consider extending the ceasefire, and to give dialogue and diplomacy a chance,” during a meeting with Natalie Baker, deputy chief of the U.S. embassy in Pakistan, on Monday, according to the ministry.
President Trump had doubled down on his opposition to extending the ceasefire on Tuesday morning, telling CNBC, “I don’t want to do that” when asked whether he would consider lengthening the truce if there was progress in negotiations this week.
“We don’t have that much time,” he said, adding later that Tehran had “no choice but to send” representatives to Pakistan. He said Iran could get itself “on very good footing if they make a deal,” while not ruling out the possibility of further military action.
“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.”
Trump has consistently argued that the U.S. holds the upper hand in any forthcoming talks, claiming that joint U.S.-Israeli strikes have weakened Tehran’s military and set back aspects of its nuclear program, which the Iranian regime disputes.
He wrote in a lengthy Truth Social post on Monday that he was “winning a War, BY A LOT,” saying the Iranian navy was “completely wiped out,” the Air Force had “gone onto darker runways,” the former regime was “mostly gone” and the U.S. naval blockade on the Strait of Hormuz was “absolutely destroying” the country.
Israeli strikes have taken out several of Iran’s top military and political leaders, including former Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, whose son, Mojtaba Khamenei, was chosen as his successor.
Vance last week said the “ ball is in the Iranian court ” when it comes to a long-term deal to end hostilities.
“Whether we have further conversations, whether we ultimately get to a deal, I really think the ball is in the Iranian court because we put a lot on the table,” Vance said. “We actually made very clear what our red lines were.”
Ahead of the talks, Trump called on the Iranian regime not to execute eight women accused of crimes against the Islamic Republic.
But the president has said the main goal of negotiation is to ensure that Iran can never obtain a nuclear bomb.
Will Iran negotiate?
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammed Bagher Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi led the Iranian delegation during the first round of Pakistani-brokered talks on April 11, which marked the first face-to-face meeting between the nations since 1979.
Questions have grown in recent days about whether they will return to Islamabad, however.
An Iranian official told Reuters on Monday that Tehran was “positively reviewing” its participation in negotiations this week but emphasized that it was waiting to see whether its conditions would be met.
Pakistan’s information ministry said it was still awaiting a formal response from the Iranians as if midday Tuesday.
“Pakistan has made sincere efforts to convince the Iranian leadership to participate in the second round of talks and these efforts continue,” Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar wrote on X.
Iran responded to Trump’s threat of escalated force with a warning of their own from Qalibaf on Monday, who said the country’s armed forces were “prepared to reveal new cards” on the battlefield if fighting resumed.
“Trump, by imposing a siege and violating the ceasefire, seeks to turn this negotiating table— in his own imagination— into a table of surrender or to justify renewed warmongering,” Qalibaf wrote on X . “We do not accept negotiations under the shadow of threats, and in the past two weeks, we have prepared to reveal new cards on the battlefield.”
Strait of Hormuz remains key point of tension
The Strait of Hormuz has remained a flashpoint in the conflict as the U.S. and Iran struggle for control of the strategic waterway, which carries about one-fifth of the world’s oil supply.
Iran quickly closed off the corridor as part of its retaliatory campaign in response to U.S.-Israeli strikes — imposing a de facto blockade that has roiled markets and caused instability in global oil and gas prices.
Trump has demanded that safe passage for vessels attempting to transit the waterway be restored as one of the U.S. conditions for peace.
He accused Iran on Tuesday morning of violating the ceasefire “numerous times ,” a day after he told Bloomberg would maintain its blockade in the Gulf of Oman “until a deal is signed.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi returned the accusation in an X post on Tuesday afternoon.
“Blockading Iranian ports is an act of war and thus a violation of the ceasefire. Striking a commercial vessel and taking its crew hostage is an even greater violation,” he wrote. “Iran knows how to neutralize restrictions, how to defend its interests, and how to resist bullying.”
The U.S. military has directed 28 commercial vessels to turn around or return to an Iranian point since the U.S. blockade went into effect two weeks ago, according to U.S. Central Command.
Naval forces also reportedly intercepted an Iranian-flagged cargo ship that was attempting to bypass the blockade over the weekend after issuing “multiple warnings.”
The Pentagon on Tuesday denied reports stating that at least 26 vessels in Iran’s “shadow fleet” had bypassed the U.S. blockade, including at least 10 within the last week.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping also weighed in on the Strait of Hormuz for the first time since the conflict began nearly two months ago, saying that normal passage should be maintained.
Updated at 5:10 p.m. EDT
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