Trump extends Iran ceasefire with fate of Pakistan talks left uncertain

Trump said that he was extending the ceasefire at the request of Pakistani Field Marshal Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif because Iran's government was seriously fractured and needed time to present a unified proposal. I have therefore directed our military to continue the blockade and will therefore extend the ceasefire until such a time as their proposal is submitted, Trump said in a statement released by the White House. Iran's semi-official Tasnim News Agency said the Islamic Republic had decided not to send negotiators to Islamabad because of the US's excessive demands. For this reason, Iran ultimately announced today that, given this situation, it considers participating in negotiations a waste of time, as the US is obstructing any suitable agreement. Therefore, Iran will not engage with the Americans, Tasnim reported. The two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran has largely held, offering a reprieve for Iran, which has been pummeled by US and Israeli strikes, as well as the US's oil-rich Gulf allies, who have faced thousands of ballistic missile and drone strikes. In place of strikes, Trump has opted to impose a naval blockade on Iran, which he says is in response to Tehran wresting control of the Strait of Hormuz and selectively allowing vessels to transit. US soldiers boarded a crude-oil tanker in the Indian Ocean on Tuesday that the US had previously sanctioned for transporting Iranian oil to China. The US Department of War released a video of soldiers boarding the Tifani by helicopter. Trump told CNBC news on Tuesday that the US blockade against Iran was working. War on Iran: Mediators push ceasefire extension as deal hopes fade Read More » We totally control the Strait, just so you understand, for all the fake news out there, he said. But his claim appeared to defy reports by maritime intelligence firms that said Iran was continuing to send vessels through the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman, where US naval vessels are concentrated. Lloyd's List, a maritime news site, reported that at least 26 vessels had bypassed the blockade, including 11 tankers laden with Iranian cargo. Trump's messaging on Iran has been conflicting. On Tuesday all eyes were on Vice President JD Vance, who was expected to depart for Pakistan for a second round of talks with Iran. Instead, CNN reported in the afternoon that he was at the White House with Trump and that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth had joined the president and his lieutenant. Trump's statement appeared intended to preserve the fragile truce. Iran's Revolutionary Guards on Tuesday threatened to end oil production in the Gulf if they faced any attacks emanating from the Arab Gulf. The southern neighbours should know that if their geography and facilities are used in the service of the enemies to attack the Iranian nation, they should bid farewell to oil production in the Middle East, the commander of the IRGC's aerospace force, Majid Mousavi, was quoted by Fars news agency as saying. The collapse of talks between the US and Iran has jolted the region into uncertainty. Last week, hopes were high that the two sides were moving closer together, as the Trump administration announced a ceasefire in Lebanon. Ending the fighting there was a key Iranian demand for talks to progress. War on Iran Washington News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0