(3rd LD) Trump says U.S. will extend ceasefire until conclusion of discussions with Iran

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By Music Sang-ho

WASHINGTON, April 21 (Yonhap) — U.S. President Donald Trump stated Tuesday america will lengthen a ceasefire with Iran till Tehran submits a “unified” proposal and bilateral discussions are “concluded, come what may.”

In a social media submit, Trump introduced the choice on the extension following a request from prime officers from Pakistan, a key mediating nation within the U.S.-Iran negotiations. The announcement got here because the two-week ceasefire between america and Iran was set to run out on Wednesday.

“Based mostly on the truth that the Authorities of Iran is severely fractured, not unexpectedly so and, upon the request of Subject Marshal Asim Munir, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan, we now have been requested to carry our Assault on the Nation of Iran till such time as their leaders and representatives can give you a unified proposal,” he wrote on Reality Social.

“I’ve due to this fact directed our Army to proceed the Blockade and, in all different respects, stay prepared and ready, and can due to this fact lengthen the Ceasefire till such time as their proposal is submitted, and discussions are concluded, come what may,” he added.

The extension of the ceasefire got here as uncertainty continued to shroud prospects for the resumption of U.S.-Iran peace talks, although U.S. President Donald Trump remained constructive that Washington would safe a “nice deal.”

U.S. Vice President JD Vance has put his journey to Pakistan for a brand new spherical of peace talks with Iran on maintain as Tehran has failed to reply to U.S. positions, The New York Occasions reported. Iran has not formally introduced whether or not it would be part of the talks in Islamabad.

Tensions between Washington and Tehran persevered as Iran angrily responded to America’s continued blockade of its ports and vessels, and america imposed recent sanctions concentrating on procurement networks that help Iran’s unmanned aerial automobile and ballistic missile packages.

Earlier within the day, Trump struck a constructive word on the negotiations with Iran, saying that the U.S. will find yourself with a “nice deal.”

“I believe they haven’t any selection. We have taken out their navy. We have taken out their air pressure. We have taken out their leaders, frankly, which does complicate issues in a technique, however these leaders are way more rational,” he stated in an interview with CNBC.

He highlighted that Washington is in a “very robust” negotiating place, because it has ratcheted up strain on Iran to just accept a sequence of its calls for, together with Iran’s dedication to not have a nuclear weapon.

He claimed that if Iran makes a deal, it could possibly “get themselves at an excellent footing.”

“In the event that they make a deal, they’ll make themselves into a powerful nation once more, an exquisite nation once more,” he stated.

In the meantime, U.S. forces interdicted and boarded a vessel, which was sanctioned for a transaction with Iran, within the Indian Ocean, the Pentagon stated Tuesday. The transfer got here after the Navy’s seizure of an Iranian cargo ship on Sunday that tried to evade a U.S. maritime blockade.

In an X submit, Iran’s international minister, Abbas Araghchi, criticized the U.S. blockade as an “act of struggle and thus a violation of the ceasefire.”

“Putting a business vessel and taking its crew hostage is an excellent larger violation,” he wrote. “Iran is aware of the best way to neutralize restrictions, the best way to defend its pursuits, and the way to withstand bullying.”

Washington and Tehran held the primary spherical of negotiations in Islamabad on April 11 and 12. However they failed to succeed in an settlement.

The continued flare-up of tensions between the U.S. and Iran got here because the Trump administration seeks an exit from the struggle with the Center East nation amid considerations over the battle’s financial repercussions forward of U.S. midterm elections slated for November.

sshluck@yna.co.kr
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