The US president said the truce will hold until Tehran presents unified proposal to end the conflict
US President Donald Trump has announced he will extend the ceasefire with Iran until its leadership comes up “with a unified proposal,” while maintaining the naval blockade. The decision comes hours before the fragile truce was set to expire, with planned talks in Islamabad still in limbo.
“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 wrote 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,” he added.
Earlier on Tuesday, Vice President J.D. Vance had been expected to lead the US delegation in Islamabad, alongside Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Iran’s team was to be headed by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, according to earlier reports.
However, the New York Times reported that Vance’s trip was put on hold after Tehran failed to respond to US positions. Witkoff and Kushner also remained in the US, according to reports.
Iranian officials have said no final decision has been made on whether to attend the talks.
The two-week ceasefire brokered by Pakistan earlier this month was set to expire on Wednesday, after a first round of talks in Islamabad failed to produce a breakthrough and Trump moved ahead with a US naval blockade of Iranian ports, a step Tehran has labeled a violation of the truce.
Here are the latest developments:
- Oil prices rallied on concerns that the US ceasefire with Iran will expire without a deal.
- Tensions escalated further after the US Navy seized an Iranian cargo ship,the Touska, for allegedly breaching the blockade – a move Tehran branded “armed maritime piracy” and threatened to retaliate over.
- Iran’s IRIB state broadcaster said none of its negotiators had yet departed forIslamabad.
- Talks between Israel andLebanonare reportedly set for Thursday to discuss extending their ceasefire, due to expire on Sunday.
- The Middle East conflict has triggered what IEA chief Fatih Birol called “the biggest”energy crisisin history.
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(RT.com)
