President Donald Trump announced an extension of the ceasefire in the Iran war, giving mediators more time to arrange another round of face-to-face talks between the United States and Iran. He said he acted hours before the truce was to expire at Pakistan’s request while waiting for a “unified proposal” from Iran.
The decision averted an immediate resumption of fighting, but significant gaps remain. A planned trip to Pakistan by U.S. negotiator Vice President J.D. Vance was postponed, and a U.S. maritime blockade of Iran remains in place.
Signs of possible talks, uncertainty over attendance
Two regional officials told The Associated Press that both Washington and Tehran indicated willingness to hold new talks, with Pakistan-led mediators receiving confirmation that top negotiators—Vance for the U.S. and Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf—were expected to lead their teams. Late Tuesday, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman, Esmail Baghaei, said there was no “final decision” to attend, citing “contradictory messages” and “unacceptable actions” from the Americans, particularly the U.S. naval blockade.
Vance called off his trip as Pakistani leaders worked to salvage the talks. With a 0000 GMT deadline approaching, Trump extended the ceasefire indefinitely, saying he acted at Pakistan’s request and blaming Iran’s “seriously fractured” leadership for the indecision. He reiterated that the U.S. blockade would continue.
Ongoing flashpoints: Hormuz, naval incidents, blockade
Even if talks proceed, major disputes persist over the future status of the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s nuclear program and the U.S. blockade. Iran has carried out attacks on vessels in the strait, and U.S. forces recently attacked and boarded an Iranian vessel that attempted to breach the blockade, underscoring continuing volatility.
The Strait of Hormuz, a vital chokepoint through which roughly 20% of global oil and natural gas passes, remains effectively closed after Iranian attacks and fears of mined shipping lanes. Reports indicate Iran has been charging as much as $2 million per ship to permit passage. Restoring safe transit is a central negotiation point and one of Tehran’s strongest levers, as countries face energy rationing and jet-fuel shortages.
The U.S. blockade has blocked ships from Iranian ports; Iran condemned U.S. Navy boarding operations as “piracy” and violations of international law.
Background: how the fighting and the truce unfolded
The U.S. and Israel launched the campaign on February 28, touching off a six-week conflict that pushed oil prices higher and unsettled the global economy. The current truce among Iran, Israel and the United States began on April 8 after a series of deadlines set by Trump. A separate ceasefire between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon took effect last Friday. Both ceasefires have largely held.
An earlier U.S.-Iran negotiating session took place in Pakistan on April 11–12, the highest-level talks between the two countries since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, but it ended without agreement. Pakistani authorities have prepared again for a similar meeting, suggesting another round of talks could be imminent.
Iran’s nuclear material and demands
All of Iran’s highly enriched uranium remains inside the country, likely stored at enrichment sites struck by U.S. strikes during a 12-day campaign last June. Iran has not resumed enrichment since then but insists it retains the right to enrich for peaceful uses and denies seeking nuclear weapons. The U.S. and Israel have demanded Iran fully dismantle its nuclear program and surrender its stockpile; Iran rejected those terms in a 10-point proposal for ending the war.
