Trump extends Iran ceasefire with Tehran regime ‘seriously fractured’

Donald Trump has extended the ceasefire with Iran saying the Tehran regime was “seriously fractured”.

The last-minute move follows a request from Pakistan, which has been mediating in the conflict.

However, the US president said the blockade of the Iran’s ports would remain in force.

The extension comes as the deadline loomed on the current fragile truce and proposed talks in Islamabad were put on hold, amid tensions over the ongoing stand-off in the Strait of Hormuz.

The effective closure of the vital supply route during the conflict has inflicted a global economic shock and sent energy prices soaring.

Pakistan’s leaders, including prime minister Shehbaz Sharif, had been making frantic efforts on Tuesday to get both sides to agree to further discussions.

But hopes faded as US vice president JD Vance, expected to again lead US negotiators, called off a trip to Pakistan as Tehran refused to commit to attending.

Writing in post on his Truth Social platform, Mr Trump said: “Based on the fact that the Government of Iran is seriously fractured, not unexpectedly so and, upon the request of Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, of Pakistan, we have been asked to hold our Attack on the Country of Iran until such time as their leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal.

“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.”

Only earlier, Mr Trump said he was ready to renew attacks against Iran if progress was not made.

The president also told CNBC he did not want to extend the ceasefire.

In the event of a deal not being made soon, Mr Trump said: “Well, I expect to be bombing because I think that’s a better attitude to go in with.

“But, you know, we’re ready to go. I mean, the military is raring to go.”

He argued Iran had no choice but to negotiate.

Mr Trump said: “We’ve taken out their navy, we’ve taken out their air force, we’ve taken out their leaders.”

He again claimed “regime change” and said those now in charge were “much more rational”.

Meanwhile, Iran’s parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, who had been tipped as Tehran’s chief negotiator, accused the US president of seeking to turn the negotiating table into a “table of surrender”.

“We do not accept negotiations under the shadow of threats,” he wrote in an X post and said Iran was preparing “to reveal new cards on the battlefield”.

In the UK, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer held talks with ministers and officials on the Government’s work to ease pressures on the public caused by the conflict.

The Middle East Response Committee discussed ongoing contingency planning such as work with fuel suppliers, airlines and international counterparts, a Government spokesperson said.

They also talked about diplomacy to support negotiations between the US and Iran, military planning as part of the post-war mission to keep the Strait of Hormuz open co-led with France, and wider measures such as efforts to weaken the link between gas and electricity prices.