US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday night that, if the US lifts its naval blockade of Iran, a deal between the two countries would be possible if the US renews its strikes on the Islamic Republic.
“Iran doesn’t want the Strait of Hormuz closed, they want it open so they can make $500 Million Dollars a day (which is, therefore, what they are losing if it is closed!). They only say they want it closed because I have it totally BLOCKADED (CLOSED!), so they merely want to ‘save face,’" Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
“People approached me four days ago, saying, ‘Sir, Iran wants to open up the Strait, immediately.’ But if we do that, there can never be a Deal with Iran, unless we blow up the rest of their Country, their leaders included!" he added.
The post came hours after Trump announced 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, the President 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.
The Iranian news agency Tasnim later reported that Iran did not ask to extend the ceasefire with the US.
According to the report, Iran is not ruling out the possibility that everything, including the extension of the ceasefire, is a deception by Trump. The Iranian news agency brought up the possibility that Trump might announce an extension, but that the United States or Israel could later carry out strikes in Iran.
Tasnim cited information indicating that Iranian officials are closely monitoring such a possibility and that Iran does not underestimate such a scenario.
Meanwhile, an adviser to Iran’s parliament speaker and top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said, according to Reuters, that Trump’s ceasefire extension is a “ploy to buy time" for a surprise strike.
The adviser said that the continuation of the US blockade on Iranian ports was “no different from bombardment and must be met with a military response".