Trump Extends Iran Ceasefire Pending New Proposals

Published: 22 April 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online.

Donald Trump unilaterally announced an extension of the two-week ceasefire with Iran on Tuesday. This move comes amid frantic efforts to bring the two sides back to negotiations. Hours after announcing that he expected to be bombing, the US president changed course. He said he would extend the ceasefire until Iranian negotiators submitted a new proposal. Trump cited a fractured Iranian government as the primary reason for this surprising decision. He noted that he received a request from Pakistan to hold off on military action. Field Marshal Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif both asked for this necessary pause. Trump said he agreed to wait until Iran could present a truly unified peace proposal. He wrote on his Truth Social platform that he directed the military to remain ready. The president confirmed that the ongoing blockade of Iranian ports will continue without any changes. The declaration ended a day of topsy-turvy events regarding the potential for further military action. Earlier in the day, a planned trip to Islamabad by the vice-president was delayed. Trump had also ramped up his bellicose rhetoric by saying the military was raring. The sharp about-turn drew a very withering response from the speaker of the Iranian parliament. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has emerged as the leading negotiator for the struggling Islamic Iranian regime. His personal adviser dismissed the extension as a ploy to buy time for surprise strikes. Mahdi Mohammadi wrote on social media that the time for Iran to take initiative arrived. He claimed that the losing side cannot dictate terms or force their will on others. The continuation of the siege must be met with a firm and direct military response. Senior figures of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were angered by Trump’s social media posts. Those officials have the upper hand in the current power structure of the Iranian leadership.

They were furious that Trump proclaimed victory while depicting Iran as surrendering on nuclear points. Iranian anger led to the strait of Hormuz being re-closed just one day later. Foreign minister Abbas Araghchi had previously declared that vital waterway open to all global trade. However, Prime Minister Sharif, who has acted as a principal mediator, thanked the American leader. Pakistan shall continue its earnest efforts for a negotiated settlement of this very difficult conflict. The US president had earlier told a business news network he did not want delays. He insisted the US was in a strong position and expecting a great final deal. Trump has previously warned that targets for new attacks would include power and civilian infrastructure. Iran appeared unwilling to bend to these threats despite the immense pressure from the West. Analysts say there is fierce disagreement among its leaders over how to respond to pressure. They are unsure whether to risk a potentially devastating new wave of American aerial bombing. Iranian state television broadcast a message confirming that no delegation has visited Islamabad so far. Ghalibaf accused the US president of seeking to turn the negotiating table into a surrender. He wrote in a post that they do not accept negotiations under the shadow of threats. Iran was reportedly preparing to reveal new cards on the battlefield to gain needed leverage. The ongoing US Navy blockade of Iranian ports appears a major hurdle for future talks. Iran has said the US must end the blockade for formal negotiations to fully resume. But Trump and Treasury secretary Scott Bessent both warned that the blockade will certainly continue. Bessent said in a statement that Kharg Island storage will be full in coming days. He added that the fragile Iranian oil wells will then be shut in by force. In a meeting with the national security team, the US decided to keep up pressure. They decided to maintain the blockade, reducing Iran’s leverage after closing the important transit strait. According to two people briefed on the matter, this strategy remains the top US priority. A first round of talks ten days ago ended with no sign of real agreement. The future of the strait of Hormuz remains a massive point of contention between parties. That key waterway was closed to shipping by Iran in the early days of conflict. This closure is cutting the supply of around a fifth of the world’s total oil. Fatih Birol, the head of the International Energy Agency, commented on the massive global impact. He said the combined impact of this conflict and the Russian war is very historic. It constitutes the biggest crisis in history for the vulnerable and volatile global energy markets. The US last week imposed a blockade on Iranian ports to pressure Tehran into reopening. On Sunday, the United States successfully seized an Iranian cargo vessel in the region recently. US forces then escalated the campaign on Tuesday by boarding another large oil tanker vessel. This ship was previously under sanctions for smuggling Iranian crude oil through Asian market routes. Ship-tracking data showed the vessel in the Indian Ocean near Sri Lanka and also Indonesia. The Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson said these moves amounted to piracy at sea and terrorism. He questioned whether Washington was actually serious about negotiating a fair deal for the region. The closure of the strait threatens a global recession and gives Tehran a powerful weapon. This strategic tool counters the overwhelming conventional military superiority of its many regional enemies today. The war began in February with a first wave of bombing by the US military. That initial strike killed the then supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in February. Yvette Cooper, the UK’s foreign secretary, has been holding discussions aimed at safeguarding the strait. She has described this as a critical diplomatic moment in the middle of the crisis. In Islamabad, Pakistani officials have expressed confidence that Iran will eventually resume the formal talks. These represent the highest-level negotiations between the two countries since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. A spokesperson said the Pakistani foreign minister met with the acting US ambassador on Tuesday. He urged the American officials to ensure a full ceasefire extension to allow for diplomacy. Dar also met the ambassador from China, which is a key trading partner with Iran. Pakistan has made sincere efforts to convince the leadership to participate in these important talks. Security has been tightened across Pakistan’s capital where authorities have deployed thousands of security personnel. Increased patrols are now along routes leading to the airport and throughout the city center. Government offices, schools, and colleges in the city have been shut down for the duration. The center of the city has been completely barred to all civilian movement and traffic. If they do not come to Islamabad, it will be an embarrassing situation for Pakistan. Nusrat Javed, a political analyst and columnist, noted the high stakes for the host nation. Over the weekend, Iran said it had received new proposals from Washington for the sides. But they also suggested a wide gap remains between the two nations on several issues. Issues that derailed the last round included the nuclear enrichment program and regional proxy movements. Trump said Iran had no choice and would take part in the future talks eventually. The US president claimed they have destroyed the navy, air force, and their key leaders. The US president again claimed regime change was underway and suggested they were more rational. Many experts say the conflict has led to a radicalization of the existing Iranian regime. More pragmatic figures have been killed or sidelined by the internal hardline military power structure. Senior officials in the Revolutionary Guard have increased their hold on power throughout the state. The diplomatic path remains narrow as both nations weigh the heavy cost of further war. Whether this latest ceasefire extension leads to peace or more conflict remains to be seen.

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