President Donald Trump made a sharp reversal and announced that the ceasefire with Iran will continue indefinitely.
“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,” the President wrote on Truth Social Tuesday. “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.”
Trump made the announcement hours before the two-week truce between the US and Iran was set to expire. Earlier in the day, the President said he would not extend the ceasefire with Iran.
While Trump claimed that the talks failed to progress because of discord within the Iranian government, Tehran has put forward a consistent list of demands for ending the conflict. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that the blockade is “an act of war” and a “violation of the ceasefire,” adding that Tehran would not engage with the US until it is lifted.
Mahdi Mohammadi, an Iranian official, said that the ceasefire extension was Trump buying time to prepare an attack on Iran. “The losing side cannot dictate terms. The continuation of the siege is no different from bombardment and must be met with a military response,” he explained. “Moreover, Trump’s ceasefire extension is certainly a ploy to buy time for a surprise strike. The time for Iran to take the initiative has come.”
Trump had previously threatened to attack Iran’s power plants and bridges if Tehran did not agree to his demands by the end of the ceasefire.
