US President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that the ceasefire in Iran would be extended for an unspecified amount of time, in order to allow the Iranian leadership time to submit a proposal for a deal.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump made clear that the US naval blockade will remain in place until an Iranian proposal is submitted.
"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," Trump wrote.
“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," he added.
Trump’s announcement followed a New York Times report stating that an expected trip by Vice President JD Vance to Pakistan for a second round of talks with Iran has been put on hold.
The postponement came after Tehran failed to respond to the latest US negotiating positions, a US official with knowledge of the situation told the Times.
A senior Iranian official told the Reuters news agency later on Tuesday that Pakistan has yet to persuade the US to lift its naval blockade of Iranian ports near the Strait of Hormuz.
The Iranian official stated that Iran rejects the prospect of negotiations being conducted under pressure or aimed at Tehran surrendering.
The official added that Iran could still attend talks with the US in Pakistan if Washington backs off its policies of “pressure and threats".
On Monday, Iranian Parliament speaker Mohmmad Bagher Ghalibaf blasted Trump, making clear that the Islamic Republic will not negotiate under threats.
“Trump, by imposing a siege and violating the ceasefire, seeks to turn this negotiating table - in his own imagination - into a table of surrender or to justify renewed warmongering," Ghalibaf, who headed the Iranian delegation in recent talks with the US in Pakistan, wrote in a social media post.
“We do not accept negotiations under the shadow of threats, and in the past two weeks, we have prepared to reveal new cards on the battlefield," he warned.
Ghalibaf’s comments came hours after Trump wrote on Truth Social that the US will not lift its blockade on Iranian ports until a deal has been reached with Tehran.
Trump wrote that the blockade, which began last week, is "absolutely destroying Iran", and added that the US is winning the conflict "by a lot".