Shortly before the ceasefire between Iran and the USA expires, it is uncertain whether negotiations will continue. According to media reports, US Vice President JD Vance is preparing to travel to the Pakistani capital Islamabad. But there was initially no official confirmation. There was also a lack of clear official signals from the Iranian side that they were willing to engage in dialogue. The 14-day ceasefire expires on Thursday night Central European Time.
US President Donald Trump has meanwhile accused Tehran of repeatedly violating the ceasefire. “Iran has violated the ceasefire multiple times!” Trump writes in a new post on Truth Social. The US President did not give any details; his post only contained that one sentence. Trump had previously said he considered an extension of the ceasefire with Iran “very unlikely” if there was no agreement with Tehran before it expired.
Iran’s military said it was ready to resume hostilities. The military is ready for action and will not be surprised, reported the Iranian news agency Tasnim, mouthpiece of the powerful Revolutionary Guard. New targets had been identified for a return to war. From the first moment the attacks resume, a “hell” will be created for the Americans and Israelis, it was said.
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told Fox News that she was confident that the US would conclude a “really good agreement”. The USA is close to an agreement, Leavitt said.
Trump: I’m not under any pressure
If the ceasefire expired, Trump again threatened destructive attacks. Because of the difficult situation, particularly in the Strait of Hormuz, which is important for world trade, oil prices have recently risen significantly again. In the USA, too, refueling is more expensive than it has been in years – a sensitive issue for Trump in an election year. The US President nevertheless demonstrated composure: He was under no pressure to reach a deal, he wrote on Truth Social.
US naval blockade obstacle to negotiations
At the weekend, the conflict over the Strait of Hormuz increased tensions. Iran announced the opening of the strait on Friday, but withdrew it on Saturday. According to the US military, the US has now ordered 27 ships to turn around or return to an Iranian port since the start of its own blockade.
The Iranian news agency Tasnim now reported that participation in the “drama staged by the USA” was tied to, among other things, the lifting of the naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz. The German Press Agency also learned from Pakistani security circles that the US naval blockade is currently a key hurdle.
Threats in the Lebanon theater of war
Ahead of new talks between Israel and Lebanon in Washington, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has again threatened to kill the Hezbollah chief. Naim Kassim will “pay with his head,” said Katz, according to media reports.
Even during a ceasefire, the disarmament of the Lebanese Hezbollah militia remains the overarching goal, said the minister, according to the news portal “ynet”. Hezbollah attacked Israel “in the service of its Iranian masters” and will pay the price.
Ambassador-level talks between Israel and Lebanon will continue in Washington on Thursday, according to a US State Department spokesman.
