Trump says Iran ceasefire ends on Wednesday, signals extension ‘highly unlikely’ without deal
U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday it is “highly unlikely” he would extend a two week ceasefire with Iran if no deal is reached before it ends this week, according to Bloomberg.
In a phone interview, he said the Strait of Hormuz will remain blocked until a peace agreement is finalized. “They want me to open it. The Iranians desperately want it opened. I’m not opening it until a deal is signed,” he said, as oil prices jumped and the U.S. Navy seized an Iranian flagged ship over the weekend.
As of Monday morning, U.S. forces have turned back 27 ships to or from Iranian ports, U.S. Central Command said on X.
“I’m not going to be rushed into making a bad deal,” Trump said. We’ve got all the time in the world.” He said the truce, announced April 7, will expire Wednesday evening Eastern Time, and when asked if strikes would resume immediately if no deal is reached, said, “If there’s no deal, I would certainly expect.”
In a call with PBS News Monday morning, he said if the ceasefire expires, “then lots of bombs start going off.”
Asked about fresh talks in Islamabad, he said, “I don’t know. I mean, they’re supposed to be there. We agreed to be there, although they say we didn’t. But no, it was set up. And we’ll see whether or not it’s there. If they’re not there, that’s fine too.”
He told the New York Post that Vice President JD Vance is set to travel to Pakistan for a second round of talks with Iranian officials, and The New York Times reported, citing two U.S. officials, that Vance is expected to leave Washington on Tuesday.
Trump also told the Post he is willing to meet senior Iranian leaders if a breakthrough is reached, but told Bloomberg he does not think it will be necessary for him to attend in person.
