President Donald Trump has announced he will decide imminently whether to extend the ceasefire between the United States and Iran, though Tehran has already expressed skepticism about the deal. Speaking on Friday, Trump stated, 'I will be meeting now, in the Situation Room, to make a final determination,' referring to the White House's nerve center for monitoring global crises.
Potential 60-Day Extension
Sources had indicated that a deal was in the works to extend the truce, which has been in place since early April, for an additional 60 days. The agreement would also permit oil and gas shipments to resume through the Strait of Hormuz while negotiators address complex issues such as Iran's nuclear program. Trump emphasized that any approval would require the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the dismantling of Tehran's capacity to develop nuclear weapons. 'Iran must agree that they will never have a Nuclear Weapon or Bomb. The Hormuz Strait must be immediately open, no tolls, for unrestricted shipping traffic, in both directions,' he said, adding that Iran's nuclear material would be 'unearthed' by the US.
Iranian Skepticism
However, Iran's top negotiator, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, earlier expressed doubt about reaching a deal. 'We do not trust guarantees and words, only actions are the criterion. No action will be taken before the other side acts. The winner of any agreement is the one who is better prepared for war the day after,' Qalibaf stated. Additionally, Iran's semi-official Fars news agency cited informed sources on Friday, describing Trump's comments about a potential deal as a 'mixture of truth and lies' and an 'attempt to portray a fabricated victory.' The agency claimed that Trump asserted 'Iran was obligated to open the Strait of Hormuz without tolls, even though no such clause appears in the text of the agreement.' Regarding Trump's assertion that Washington and Tehran would coordinate on destroying Iran's enriched uranium, Fars reported that 'well-informed sources emphasised that not only does this not appear in the memorandum of understanding, but this claim is fundamentally baseless.'
War Impact and Diplomatic Moves
The US-Iran war has so far killed thousands, predominantly in Iran and Lebanon, and caused global economic strain by driving up energy prices due to Iran's effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz. On Friday, oil prices fell and stocks rose amid hopes for a deal. Trump mentioned that mines would be removed from the strait and trapped ships might soon return home. In a post on Truth Social, he wrote, 'Say HELLO to your wives, husbands, parents, and families from me, your favorite President!' He added that no money would be exchanged 'until further notice,' possibly referring to Iran's demands for toll payments, war reparations, or release of frozen assets.
International Involvement
Kazakhstan has signaled willingness to take Tehran's stockpile of uranium enriched close to weapons-grade levels if a US-Iran deal is reached, according to Rafael Grossi, head of the UN nuclear watchdog. Kazakhstan hosts an internationally controlled bank of low-enriched uranium for IAEA member states. In further diplomatic movement, Pakistan's foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, arrived in Washington on Friday for talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Iran also seeks sanctions relief, withdrawal of US forces from the region, and an end to Israel's offensive in Lebanon as part of any peace deal. Israel has displaced hundreds of thousands with a push into Lebanon targeting Hezbollah, with strikes killing over 3,200 people in Lebanon, according to its health ministry. Israel reports 23 soldiers and four civilians killed during the same period.
