Trump Extends U.S.-Iran Ceasefire as Mojtaba Khamenei Blocks Peace Talks

The U.S. and Iran moved to extend a ceasefire while peace talks remained blocked by deep divisions inside Tehran, with multiple outlets tying the delay to Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and to disagreements over uranium enrichment.

“Iran has rejected a ceasefire extension, with the US identifying Mojtaba Khamenei as the primary obstacle”

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In reporting attributed to CNN, the U.S. believed one reason the Iranian government had not delivered its response to an American proposal was “the effort by Mojtaba Khamenei, the supreme leader, to remain in hiding to avoid harm.”

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The same reporting said the U.S. “does not know whether Khamenei is issuing clear instructions or whether Iranian officials are being forced to "guess" what he wants without specific guidance,” even as U.S. officials still believed “there is a chance of a meeting between teams from Washington and Tehran.”

Trump said overnight on his Truth Social platform that the Iranian government was “deeply divided,” and he described a request from Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif that the U.S. “pause its strike on Iran until its leaders and representatives could present a unified proposal.”

In Iran, state television said, “Iran will not recognize the ceasefire announced by Trump, may not abide by it and will act in accordance with its national interests.”

Tasnim, affiliated with the Revolutionary Guard, wrote that Tehran had not asked to extend the ceasefire and that the continued naval blockade—“a step announced by Trump”—“means the continuation of the fighting.”

Trump’s posts also focused on the Strait of Hormuz, writing that Iran “want[s] it open” and that the U.S. had “totally BLOCKADED (CLOSED!),” while he added that easing pressure could allow Tehran to “drag out the negotiations.”

Several reports described the U.S. view that Khamenei’s absence from active decision-making disrupted internal consensus, leaving Iranian negotiators to operate without clear direction on the most sensitive issues.

NDTV, quoting top Trump aides via CNN, said it was “one of the reasons behind the Iranian delay in the second round of peace talks, facilitated by Pakistan,” and it described the White House belief that “with Khamenei absent from the active decision-making process, there were fractures within the current Iranian leadership.”

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NDTV also framed the nuclear issue as the “major sticking point in the peace talks,” describing Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium as “an estimated 440 kilograms of 60 per cent enriched uranium.”

NDTV added that the question for Team Trump was whether “Mojtaba Khamenei was giving clear directions to his subordinates or whether they were simply guessing what he wanted without specific instruction.”

Ali Vaez, Iran project director at the International Crisis Group, told CNN that “it appears that "Mojtaba is not in a state where he can actually make critical decisions or micromanage the talks."”

Vaez said, “the system” was “using him to get final approval for key broad decisions and not (for) the tactics for the negotiations.”

The New Voice of Ukraine similarly reported that the Trump administration believed Iranian officials had not reached consensus on “uranium enrichment and its stockpile of enriched uranium — the main sticking point in the peace talks.”

That report also said CNN reported Khamenei’s effort “to remain in the shadows has disrupted internal discussions within the Iranian government,” while still leaving “a chance U.S. and Iranian negotiators could meet soon.”

As the ceasefire extension unfolded, multiple outlets described negotiations centered on Islamabad and on whether Iran would accept conditions tied to the Strait of Hormuz, frozen assets, and the shape of any ceasefire.

“It's been over six weeks since Mojtaba Khamenei was announced as the new supreme leader of Iran following the assassination of his father, but Iranians have still not seen or heard from him”

NDTV

The New Voice of Ukraine said Trump extended the ceasefire “just hours before the ceasefire was due to expire,” after the White House sent Iran “a list of key points for a proposed agreement ahead of the next round of talks,” and it reported that “the White House received no response before Vice President JD Vance was set to leave for Pakistan.”

It then described a meeting on April 22 at the White House with Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine and CIA Director John Ratcliffe, where officials urged Field Marshal Asim Munir to get “at least some response before Vance left for the meetings.”

The New Voice of Ukraine reported that “three officials said the main reason was a split within the Iranian leadership,” with Pakistani intermediaries relaying that split to the United States.

In parallel, Al Araby Al Jadeed said Iranian television reported that Iran put forward “four essential conditions” for the Islamabad table, including “cementing sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz,” “paying full compensation for damages and losses caused by the war by the aggressor party,” and “unconditional release of Iranian frozen assets.”

Al Araby Al Jadeed added that Iran’s fourth condition was “establishing a sustainable and tangible ceasefire across the entire geography of the Axis of Resistance,” and it said Tehran “reaffirmed its rejection of any attempt to fragment the fighting grounds.”

Reuters was cited by Al Araby Al Jadeed for a claim that the United States agreed to release frozen Iranian assets held in Qatar and other foreign banks, but that “the release of the assets is also directly linked to ensuring safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz before any lasting peace agreement.”

The same outlet said a White House official denied the veracity of those reports, and it also reported that Tasnim said CNN’s report about Islamabad talks continuing for several days was “not yet based on confirmed information.”

Iranian responses described in the sources emphasized rejection of the ceasefire extension and insistence on breaking any blockade, while U.S. statements framed the blockade as non-negotiable and tied it to leverage.

In the ynetnews report, state television said, “Iran will not recognize the ceasefire announced by Trump, may not abide by it and will act in accordance with its national interests,” and Tasnim said Tehran had not asked to extend the ceasefire and that continued naval blockade “means the continuation of the fighting.”

ynetnews

The same ynetnews report said Iran made clear it would not reopen the Strait of Hormuz and that Tehran “will break the blockade by force if necessary,” adding that the Revolutionary Guard-affiliated agency warned, “Trump may claim the ceasefire has been extended, but then that same U.S. government, or Israel, will carry out terrorism.”

i24NEWS described Trump’s extension as “indefinitely” and said it was paired with a stern warning that the U.S. naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz will remain in place, with Trump stating the U.S. military remains “raring to go” if a deal is not reached.

i24NEWS also quoted Trump’s economic framing, saying the Iranian regime is “losing half a billion dollars a day” and that the waterway will not reopen “unless what remains of the country is wiped out, including its leaders.”

i24NEWS further reported that Iranian military officials labeled the U.S. blockade and ship seizures as “acts of piracy,” and it quoted an Iranian military spokesperson warning, “The armed forces of the Islamic Republic will soon respond and retaliate against this armed piracy.”

The same i24NEWS report said Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, in a written statement read on state television, reinforced the stance that “The responsibility for stopping the war lies with the other side. We will seek compensation for the war through any possible means.”

It also said the extended ceasefire followed a “total collapse of planned negotiations in Pakistan,” with Iranian state media reporting there are “currently no plans to participate” in further talks.

The stakes for talks were described as immediate and fragile, with the U.S. seizure of an Iranian-flagged vessel near the Strait of Hormuz driving threats about whether negotiations would proceed.

“ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — A second round of face-to-face peace talks between the United States and Iran, planned for this week in Pakistan, remain on shaky footing after Iranian officials threatened not to attend following the U”

The Washington Post

The Washington Post reported that “a second round of face-to-face peace talks between the United States and Iran, planned for this week in Pakistan, remain on shaky footing” after “Iranian officials threatened not to attend following the U.S. seizure of an Iranian-flagged vessel near the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend.”

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It said Iranian officials threatened “to forgo negotiations even as U.S. representatives plan to arrive in Pakistan for the meeting and a ceasefire is set to expire Wednesday.”

In i24NEWS, the U.S. Navy’s boarding of the Iranian-flagged tanker Touska was described as part of the escalation, with the report stating, “Following the U.S. Navy’s boarding of the Iranian-flagged tanker Touska, an Iranian military spokesperson warned, "The armed forces of the Islamic Republic will soon respond and retaliate against this armed piracy."”

i24NEWS also said the standoff led to “a total collapse of planned negotiations in Pakistan,” and it reported that Iranian state media said there are “currently no plans to participate” in further talks.

The New Voice of Ukraine, by contrast, described a continuing diplomatic process in which Trump extended the ceasefire “until Tehran’s representatives submit their proposal for a peace settlement,” and it said U.S. officials believed “the next round of talks could be arranged quickly if the White House receives a signal from Tehran.”

It also reported that Trump said he extended the ceasefire “given the serious split in the Iranian government,” and that Iran’s state media later reported Tehran does not recognize the ceasefire extension.

Meanwhile, ynetnews reported that Trump avoided setting a new deadline for the Iranians, raising “the possibility of a new waiting period — perhaps a very long one,” and it said CNN reported advisers warned easing pressure could allow Tehran to “drag out the negotiations.”