WANA (Apr 21) – Following Iran’s decision not to engage in negotiations, Donald Trump, the President of the United States, announced an extension of the ceasefire—a move he said was made in response to a request from Pakistani officials.

 

Trump stated that the decision came after appeals from Pakistan’s army chief, Asim Munir, and the country’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif. Under this arrangement, military strikes against Iran have been temporarily halted to allow Tehran time to present a “unified and coherent proposal.”

 

He claimed, “The ceasefire will remain in place until Iran submits its proposal and discussions reach a conclusion in any form.” Trump also described Iran’s internal political situation as “divided,” suggesting this as a factor behind delays in the negotiation process.

 

At the same time, the U.S. President emphasized that despite the ceasefire extension, orders have been given to maintain the blockade on Iran, with American forces remaining on full alert. According to Trump, the military is required to stay fully prepared across all operational fronts.

 

Just seven hours earlier, Trump had stated that the ceasefire would not be extended. However, in an unexpected move, he has now reversed that position and decided to extend the ceasefire, despite no formal request from Iran and following Tehran’s cancellation of the planned Islamabad talks.

 

Despite Trump’s announcement, Iran has not yet issued any official public response regarding the ceasefire. Authorities in Tehran are expected to announce their position formally at a later stage.

 

These remarks come amid earlier reports indicating Iran’s reluctance to enter new negotiations, a stance that appears to have influenced Washington’s decision to unilaterally extend the ceasefire.