Donald Trump Extends U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Until Talks Conclude, Keeps Blockade of Iranian Ports

President Donald Trump announced that the United States would extend its ceasefire with Iran until talks between the two countries have progressed to the point that “discussions are concluded, one way or the other,” while also directing the military to keep the blockade of Iranian ports in place.

“United States President Donald Trump has announced an extension to the ceasefire with Iran, saying that the US military will hold off its planned attack to allow more time for Tehran to put forward a proposal to end the war”

Al Jazeera

In a Truth Social post, Trump said, “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,” and the extension came as the two-week truce was set to expire on Wednesday.

Al Jazeera

Al Jazeera reported that the move came “at the request of Pakistani mediators,” and that the truce was set to expire on Wednesday.

CBS News described the extension as indefinite, stating Trump was extending the ceasefire “until talks between the U.S. and Iran are ‘concluded,’” even after he had previously said he wouldn’t extend the deadline.

BBC News reported that Trump said the US would continue to blockade Iran's ports until Tehran presents a “unified proposal,” and it tied the decision to ongoing uncertainty over peace talks.

The BBC also placed the announcement in the context of market volatility after the US and Israel attacked Iran on 28 February and Tehran responded with threats to target shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

In Washington, the BBC further reported that the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned “14 people, entities and aircraft” based in Iran, Turkey and the UAE “for their role procuring of transporting weapons or weapons components” on behalf of Iran’s government.

Multiple outlets tied Trump’s decision to a claim that Iran’s government is “seriously fractured” and to requests connected to Pakistan’s mediation role.

CNBC reported that Trump extended the two-week ceasefire “until such time as” Iran’s leaders and representatives submit a “unified proposal,” and it said the announcement came after reports that Vice President JD Vance’s trip to Pakistan had been put on hold and after Tasnim reported that Tehran’s negotiators told US counterparts they would not appear for further talks.

Al-Monitor

CNBC also quoted Trump’s explanation that “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.”

Al Jazeera similarly described the extension as an abrupt reversal, saying Trump had earlier opposed lengthening the truce and warned that time was running out before the US launches a huge attack on its infrastructure.

The Korea Herald reported that Trump made the announcement in a Truth Social post following a request from top officials in Pakistan and said the extension came as the two-week ceasefire was set to expire on Wednesday.

CBS News added that Trump blamed Iran’s “seriously fractured” government for the delay, and it described the ceasefire as originally set to expire Tuesday night before Trump extended it.

CNN framed the decision as a shift from earlier statements, noting Trump had said he didn’t want to extend the truce that was due to expire Wednesday evening ET.

Iran’s response to the extension was portrayed as skeptical and hostile, with outlets quoting Iranian officials and advisers describing the blockade as an “act of war” and saying the extension “means nothing.”

CNN reported that Trump’s extension “means nothing” and said Tehran should respond militarily, quoting an Iranian senior adviser in response to Trump’s announcement.

CNN also quoted Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi calling the US blockade an “act of war” and a violation of the ceasefire, and it added that Araghchi wrote, “Iran knows how to neutralize restrictions, how to defend its interests, and how to resist bullying.”

BBC reported that Iranian officials were posting on social media after Trump’s announcement, including Mahmoud Nabavian, an Iranian member of parliament who said on X that from now on negotiating with the US is “purely detrimental and irrational.”

BBC also reported that a spokesperson for Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya headquarters warned that Iran’s forces, if attacked, will “strike pre-determined targets delivering another, even harsher lesson” to the US and Israel.

The Korea Herald described Iran’s anger at the continued blockade and said Iran’s foreign minister criticized the blockade as an “act of war and thus a violation of the ceasefire,” adding that “Striking a commercial vessel and taking its crew hostage is an even greater violation.”

Fox News added a separate thread of Iranian warnings, including a warning from Ayatollah Alireza Arafi, a member of Iran’s Interim Leadership Council, that any attacks on his country while negotiations were ongoing would set a dangerous global precedent.

While Iran’s messaging was framed as rejecting the extension, the UN and US economic measures were presented as supportive of the ceasefire and as part of continued pressure.

BBC reported that United Nations Secretary General António Guterres welcomed Trump’s announcement to extend the ceasefire, citing a spokesperson for his office who said, “This is an important step toward de-escalation and creating critical space for diplomacy and confidence-building between Iran and the United States.”

Australian Broadcasting Corporation

BBC also said the secretary general’s office encouraged all parties to build on the momentum by not violating the ceasefire and participating constructively in negotiations, and it said Guterres supports Pakistan’s role in facilitating the talks.

Fox News likewise quoted UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric saying the secretary-general’s announcement would create “critical space for diplomacy and confidence-building between Iran and the United States,” and it quoted Dujarric encouraging parties to “refrain from actions that could undermine the ceasefire, and engage constructively in negotiations.”

In parallel, the BBC described US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s comments that “in a matter of days” Iran’s oil storage facility on Kharg Island will be completely full and the “fragile Iranian oil wells will be shut in,” while the US Treasury would continue to apply “maximum pressure through Economic Fury.”

BBC also explained OFAC sanctions, saying the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned “14 people, entities and aircraft” and that “all property and interests in property” of those designated in the US or in the possession of Americans are blocked.

Fox News added that the UN leaders backed the ceasefire extension and that Rafael Grossi, head of the IAEA, said the effort to end the war is a “complex process” and warned that any peace deal must include the IAEA from the start to enforce oversight over Iran’s nuclear program.

The next steps described across outlets centered on whether negotiations in Pakistan would resume, whether the blockade would continue, and whether international military planning would move to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

“Global oil prices fluctuated in early Asian trading on Wednesday as the status of peace talks between the US and Iran remains unclear”

BBC

CNN reported that Vice President JD Vance’s expected trip to Islamabad to lead talks with Iran had been called off for the day, and it said the White House official described the cancellation after Trump’s announcement.

BBC

The Korea Herald reported that questions remained over whether and when a new round of US-Iran talks would resume and said Iran had not formally announced whether it will join talks in Islamabad.

ABC reported that military planners from more than 30 nations would hold two-day talks in London to advance a mission to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and draw up detailed plans, citing a statement from the British Ministry of Defence.

ABC quoted UK Defence Minister John Healey saying, “The task, today and tomorrow, is to translate the diplomatic consensus into a joint plan to safeguard freedom of navigation in the strait and support a lasting ceasefire,” and it said the talks would advance military plans to reopen the Strait of Hormuz once conditions allowed, following a sustainable ceasefire.

BBC also described the volatility around the Strait of Hormuz, noting that energy markets were volatile after the US and Israel attacked Iran on 28 February and Tehran responded with threats to target shipping in the key waterway.

Fox News added that the IAEA head Rafael Grossi warned that any peace deal must include the IAEA from the start to enforce oversight over Iran’s nuclear program, otherwise “you will have an illusion of an agreement.”