Iranian Authorities Await Official Response to Ceasefire Extension
US President Donald Trump announced an extension of the ceasefire on Wednesday night, at Pakistan’s request. The extension provides more time for negotiations being mediated by Pakistan.
Trump stated that this decision followed a request from Pakistan, which has been facilitating talks between Washington and Tehran. He also mentioned that US forces would maintain a naval blockade of Iranian ports while attacks remain paused.
Despite Trump’s earlier threats to strike Iranian infrastructure, there is no official response from Tehran to the ceasefire extension as Iran authorities were taking a calculated and cautious approach, sources said.
Tehran insisted that the US blockade of Iranian ports must be lifted for bilateral talks to continue. According to officials in Tehran, the lack of immediate reaction reflects a calculated and cautious approach rather than indecision.
The main hurdle is longstanding mistrust between Iran and the United States, rooted in past negotiations where Washington repeatedly failed to honor agreements or follow through on commitments made during earlier discussions.
Iranian officials say their hesitation is rooted in lack of trust in US sincerity. They maintain that Washington has repeatedly failed to honor past agreements or follow through on commitments made during earlier negotiations.
Without rebuilding that trust first, meaningful diplomacy simply isn’t possible, officials stress. Still, they are signaling that they are open to talks — but only if there’s real, visible progress in addressing their concerns.
Since the war started, fighting has killed at least 3,375 people in Iran and more than 2,290 in Lebanon. Additionally, 23 people have died in Israel and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states. Fighting also claimed the lives of 15 Israeli soldiers in Lebanon and 13 US service members throughout the region.