The ceasefire between the United States and Iran approaches its deadline with no agreement in place and no confirmation of new talks.
US President Donald Trump said he is prepared to resume the illegal military aggression against Iran if negotiations fail before the truce expires. “We’re ready to go,” he told CNBC, adding that he does not want to extend the ceasefire because “we don’t have that much time”.
The two-week ceasefire, agreed on 8 April, is due to end on Wednesday.
Diplomatic efforts led by Pakistan have yet to secure a second round of talks in Islamabad. Pakistan’s information minister Attaullah Tarar said a response from Iran remains pending and described the decision as critical.
Iran has not confirmed whether it will send a delegation. Foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told the BBC that the decision remains under discussion and criticised US actions during the truce. “We went to this negotiation with good faith… but you have a negotiating party that has shown its lack of seriousness,” he said.
The US has accused Iran of violating the ceasefire after Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz after having it briefly open for commercial vessels on Saturday. The Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) said that the reversal was a direct result of the US upholding the blockade. Tehran also says a US strike and seizure of an Iranian-linked vessel in the Gulf of Oman violated the ceasefire.
The Pentagon confirmed that US forces boarded a sanctioned tanker in the Indo-Pacific region as part of operations to disrupt networks supporting Iran. The operation took place “without incident”, according to a statement.
At the same time, maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has remained under pressure. The standoff at sea has become a central issue in negotiations. Iranian officials have linked participation in talks to the lifting of the US naval blockade.
Regional tensions continue beyond the US and Iran. In southern Lebanon, exchanges of fire between Israeli forces and Hezbollah have been reported despite a separate ceasefire. Israeli forces have kept illegally occupying parts of the area, and say they have established a “yellow line” similar to the one in Gaza.
Israel has violated the 10-day ceasefire multiple times after it took effect on Friday, with attacks and demolitions of villages and towns reported by the National News agency.
Lebanese authorities said more than 2,400 people have died in six weeks of conflict, with thousands more injured.
French President Emmanuel Macron said stability in Lebanon requires Israeli withdrawal and support for state institutions. He also called for reconstruction efforts to allow displaced residents to return.
In Yemen, Houthi leader Abdel-Malik al-Houthi warned that further fighting is likely even if the current truce holds. He described the ceasefire as temporary and said escalation remains possible.
HT
