US President Extends Ceasefire With Iran Until Talks Are Complete, Tehran’s Terms Move ‘A Ploy To Buy Time’
ISLAMABAD:
US President Donald Trump late on Tuesday announced an extension of the ongoing ceasefire with Iran, saying the decision was made at the request of Pakistan’s top leadership and to give Tehran time to present a comprehensive proposal for a permanent solution to the conflict.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the ceasefire, which was set to expire within hours, would remain in place until Iran submits a comprehensive plan and negotiations reach a final outcome.
“Based on the fact that the government of Iran is seriously broken, not unexpectedly, and at the request of Field Marshal Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan, we have been asked to hold our attacks on the country of Iran,” Trump wrote.
He added that the US military had been instructed to maintain pressure on Iran while avoiding immediate escalation.
“I have directed the US military to continue the blockade and in all other respects remain ready and able,” he said.
Trump indicated the extension was conditional and temporary, aimed at creating room for diplomacy amid signs of internal divisions in Iran’s leadership.
Reacting to the announcement, an adviser to Iran’s parliament speaker and top negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said US President Donald Trump’s extension of the ceasefire is a “trick to buy time” for a surprise strike.
Qalibaf’s adviser said in a post on X that the continuation of the US blockade of Iranian ports “is no different from bombing and must be met with a military response”.
Iran’s Tasnim news agency quotes Iranian officials as saying: If the US wants to maintain the shadow of war, it should consider the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed.
“Continuation of a naval blockade is tantamount to continued hostility; as long as the blockade continues, Iran will at least not reopen the Strait of Hormuz and, if necessary, will break the blockade by force.”
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif thanked the US President for extending the ceasefire. “On my personal behalf and on behalf of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, I sincerely thank President Trump for graciously accepting our request to extend the ceasefire to allow ongoing diplomatic efforts to take their course,” he wrote in a post on X.
“With the trust and confidence reposed, Pakistan will continue its serious efforts to negotiate conflict resolution.
“I sincerely hope that both sides will continue to observe the ceasefire and be able to conclude a comprehensive ‘peace agreement’ during the second round of talks planned in Islamabad for a permanent end to the conflict.”
The development comes at a critical time when diplomatic efforts are intensifying to transform the fragile ceasefire into a broader agreement.
Pakistan has actively facilitated backchannel contacts between Washington and Tehran to prevent further escalation and push both sides toward a negotiated settlement.
Earlier, Tehran expressed its reluctance to confirm its participation in the peace efforts, prompting the US delegation led by the vice president to delay its departure for Islamabad on Tuesday.
The lack of clarity has disrupted diplomatic momentum, with the US team yet to leave Washington despite extensive preparations for the talks scheduled for Wednesday.
The US delegation was scheduled to travel to Islamabad on Tuesday night, Pakistan time, but Iran’s refusal to send its team jeopardized the process.
From 19:30 Pakistan Standard Time, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said that Islamabad is still awaiting a formal response from Tehran regarding the composition and arrival of its delegation.
“Formal response from the Iranian side on confirmation of the delegation to participate in the peace talks in Islamabad is still awaited,” Tarar said, adding that Pakistan, as a mediator, remains in constant contact with the Iranian authorities and continues to pursue diplomacy and dialogue.
The two-week ceasefire was set to expire at 4:50 a.m. PST on April 22, though conflicting timelines have now emerged, adding to the confusion.
While Pakistan maintains that the ceasefire will end early Wednesday morning, Iranian officials are suggesting the ceasefire could last almost 24 hours longer. US President Donald Trump, meanwhile, has vaguely indicated the ceasefire would end “Wednesday night”, leaving no clear consensus on the exact deadline.
The situation became more complicated on Tuesday with an emerging controversy over US actions at sea and Iran’s preconditions for negotiations.
Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, indicated that Tehran had received signals suggesting that Washington might be willing to lift its naval blockade.
He said the next round of talks could take place in Islamabad when that happens, and reiterated Iran’s position that talks cannot continue under military pressure.
Tehran has consistently maintained that any negotiations must not take place under what it calls “the shadow of threats”, particularly in reference to the reported US naval presence around the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi further escalated the rhetoric, describing any blockade of Iranian ports as “tantamount to war” and a violation of the ceasefire.
In a statement, he also warned that targeting commercial vessels or detaining their crews would constitute an even more serious breach.
“Iran knows how to neutralize sanctions, defend its interests and respond to pressure,” he said, signaling Tehran’s readiness for both diplomacy and confrontation.
Diplomatic sources in Islamabad said Pakistan has stepped up efforts to persuade Tehran to join the process and prevent a collapse of the fragile ceasefire.
The State Department reiterated that Pakistan remains committed to facilitating engagement between the two sides, stressing that dialogue and diplomacy are the only viable way forward.
Meanwhile, confusion also continues in Washington over the status of the US delegation’s travel plans.
Reports citing US officials suggested that Vice President JD Vance’s visit had been postponed after Iran failed to respond to the US negotiating position. However, there has been no formal announcement from the White House as to whether the trip has been delayed indefinitely.
What is clear, however, is that Vance has not left. US media reported that he remained in Washington and attended political meetings at the White House, with no indication of an imminent visit to Islamabad.
Ishaq Dar
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar spoke to envoys from several countries and discussed regional developments.
In his meeting with US Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker, Dar stressed that negotiations were the only “viable way” to resolve the current challenges.
“FM Dar emphasized Pakistan’s consistent focus on dialogue and diplomacy as the only viable means to tackle challenges and achieve lasting regional peace and stability,” a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs (MoFA) said.
The statement also mentioned that “FM Dar emphasized the need for engagement between the US and Iran and urged both sides to consider extending the ceasefire and give diplomacy a chance”.
The statement noted that Natalie conveyed US appreciation for Pakistan’s “constructive and positive role” in promoting regional peace and facilitating dialogue.
Earlier, Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong expressed Beijing’s full support for Islamabad’s diplomatic efforts to ease US-Iran engagement during a meeting with Foreign Minister Dar.
The ministry on X said Zaidong discussed regional developments and conveyed China’s “full support for and appreciation of Pakistan’s continued efforts to facilitate US-Iran engagement for sustained peace and stability in the region and beyond”.
The statement said the discussions also focused on the latest regional situation. Dar reaffirmed the Pakistan-China “All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership”, underscoring the strength of bilateral ties.
“He also emphasized the importance of continued high-level exchanges between the two countries,” it added.
Dar also spoke with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud on Tuesday night and discussed the latest regional developments, the foreign ministry said.
The two sides stressed the importance of dialogue and engagement to achieve lasting peace and stability in the region.
“The two leaders discussed the latest regional developments and stressed the importance of dialogue and engagement to achieve lasting peace and stability,” the FO said in a statement.
It added that the Saudi Foreign Minister reiterated the Kingdom’s support for Pakistan’s continued efforts in this regard.
Both sides agreed to remain in close contact, it concluded.
Separately, Dar also held a telephone conversation with Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty to discuss the latest regional developments.
According to MoFA, both ministers emphasized the importance of dialogue and engagement for peace and stability during their discussions.
It added that the two sides agreed to remain in close contact as part of ongoing diplomatic coordination on regional issues.
FM Dar has received unprecedented international recognition for his diplomatic leadership as Pakistan positioned itself at the center of high-stakes mediation efforts during the escalating Iran-US-Israel crisis.
Over the past week, senior officials and influential voices from more than ten countries, including Saudi Arabia, Iran, the United States, China, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Bahrain and Uzbekistan, have publicly acknowledged Dar’s role in facilitating the ceasefire talks.
Pakistan emerged as a key facilitator in the sensitive diplomatic track, positioning itself as an “honest broker” amid sharply polarized positions between Washington and Tehran.
After 40 days of airstrikes, US and Iranian negotiators opened talks in Islamabad earlier this month, again focusing on the familiar trade-off of nuclear restrictions for economic aid.
When U.S. and Iranian negotiators met last weekend in Islamabad, the U.S. proposed a 20-year suspension of all Iranian nuclear activity, while Iran proposed a three- to five-year freeze, according to people familiar with the proposals.
The second round of negotiations has yet to formally begin in Islamabad, while Pakistan has further stepped up efforts for a successful agreement. However, there are still obstacles in the negotiations, with problems on both sides.
