Washington prolongs its truce with Tehran to allow further talks following initial negotiations in Pakistan.
U.S. President Donald Trump has announced an extension of the ceasefire with Iran, allowing more time for negotiations while maintaining a naval blockade on Iranian ports.
Trump said he would extend the ceasefire until Iran’s leadership presents a unified proposal to end the conflict, adding that the U.S. military has been instructed to continue the blockade and remain prepared.
He said the decision followed a request from Pakistan’s Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to delay any military action to allow space for diplomacy.
“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 wrote in a post on TruthSocial.
The ceasefire had been due to expire on Tuesday, but U.S. officials indicated it would remain in effect pending progress in diplomatic efforts.
The blockade imposed by Washington will continue during this period.
The decision follows a first round of talks between U.S. and Iranian officials held in Pakistan, marking the highest-level engagement between the two sides in years.
The discussions did not result in a breakthrough, but both sides signalled openness to further dialogue.
The U.S. delegation included senior envoys and officials from the State Department, including Trump’s regional envoy Steve Witkoff, Vice President JD Vance, and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Iran was represented by Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and members of his negotiating team.
Vance was expected to lead the US delegation to Pakistan for a second round of talks, though he had yet to leave Washington by Tuesday afternoon.
Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency later reported that Tehran decided not to attend the planned second round in Pakistan, saying Washington had not stepped back from what it described as “excessive demands” in recent days.
Pakistan has been playing a mediating role in the talks. Iranian officials have said they are considering next steps but have raised objections to ongoing U.S. measures, including the blockade.
The ceasefire was initially agreed as part of efforts to halt escalating hostilities that have affected regional stability and global energy markets, stemming from the closure of key waterways such as the Strait of Hormuz.