President of the United States announced on Tuesday, April 21, the extension of the ceasefire with Iran at the request of Pakistani mediators, without setting a new deadline. In a message posted on Truth Social, he stated that he will “extend the ceasefire until Iran presents a proposal and the discussions are concluded, one way or another.” This declaration came as the truce, in effect since April 8, was set to expire Tuesday night into Wednesday, as reported by Ouest France.
However, Donald Trump ordered the armed forces to “maintain the naval blockade” targeting Iranian ports. This decision was contested by Tehran, which sees it as “an act of war and therefore a violation of the ceasefire.” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that “Iran knows how to bypass restrictions, defend its interests, and resist the intimidation by the United States.”
Pakistan, acting as a mediator in the conflict, welcomed the American initiative: “I sincerely hope that both parties will continue to respect the ceasefire and reach a peace agreement during the second round of negotiations scheduled in Islamabad, in order to definitively end the conflict,” wrote Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The second round of talks has been postponed. Vice President of the United States, JD Vance, will not attend as announced by the White House. Tehran had made it clear that they did not want to travel.
