Trump rules out ceasefire extension, prefers 'deal' with Iran to end war Trump says ceasefire may not need extension, signals diplomacy as preferred path even as US operations continue and fresh talks with Iran are possible before the truce deadline Vrinda Goel New Delhi Listen to This Article US President Donald Trump said he is not considering extending the ongoing two-week ceasefire with Iran, while indicating that a negotiated settlement remains his preferred route to end the conflict in West Asia. Speaking to ABC News Chief Washington Correspondent Jonathan Karl, Trump expressed confidence that an extension may not be required. “President Trump told me today he isn't thinking about extending the ceasefire. He doesn't think it will be necessary,” Karl wrote in a post on X. “I think you’re going to be watching an amazing two days ahead,” Trump said. “I really do.” When asked whether the war would conclude through a diplomatic agreement or by neutralising Iran’s capabilities, Trump said both outcomes were possible, but underscored his preference for negotiations. ALSO READ: Iran war 'very close' to ending, but US operations not yet complete: Trump “It could end either way, but I think a deal is preferable because then they can rebuild. They really do have a different regime now. No matter what, we took out the radicals. They're gone, no longer with us,” Trump said, as quoted by ABC’s Karl. He also made a sweeping claim about his leadership, stating, “If I weren't president, the world would be torn to pieces.” Also Read War ‘very close’ to ending, but operations ongoing: Trump Trump’s remarks follow his earlier assertion that the war with Iran is “very close” to ending, even as he warned that US operations are still underway. “If I pulled up stakes right now, it would take them 20 years to rebuild that country. And we’re not finished,” he said. “We’ll see what happens. I think they want to make a deal very badly,” he added, as reported by Fox Business. Fresh talks planned as ceasefire deadline nears The comments come amid efforts by Washington and Tehran to arrange a second round of peace talks in the coming days. According to a Bloomberg report, both sides aim to hold further discussions before the April 7 ceasefire deadline. One proposal under consideration is to return to Islamabad, where the initial round of negotiations took place last weekend, though alternative venues are also being explored. Even as diplomatic efforts continue, tensions remain high in the Strait of Hormuz. Trump has ordered a blockade of all Iranian ports, marking a fresh escalation after the US agreed to halt bombing operations last week. The blockade is being enforced round-the-clock by an armada of more than 12 vessels. Peace talks in Islamabad end in stalemate Direct negotiations between the US and Iran ended without a breakthrough after more than 21 hours of discussions in Islamabad on Sunday. The talks, mediated by Pakistan, failed to produce a conclusive outcome. Iran’s nuclear programme, particularly uranium enrichment, emerged as the central sticking point. The negotiations, led by US Vice President JD Vance, collapsed after Iran refused to abandon its nuclear programme, while Tehran described the US position as “excessive.” More From This Section Don't miss the most important news and views of the day. Get them on our Telegram channel First Published: Apr 15 2026 | 10:38 AM IST
Trump rules out ceasefire extension, prefers 'deal' with Iran to end war Trump says ceasefire may not need extension, signals diplomacy as preferred path even as US operations continue and fresh talks with Iran are possible before the truce deadline Vrinda Goel New Delhi Listen t…
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A tanker identified as the Kaifan was struck by an unknown projectile northeast of Oman’s Limah in the Strait of Hormuz, according to a July 21 report from UK Maritime Trade Operations. No ships were observed transiting the strait that day. Attribution of the strike and links to prior incidents have not been confirmed by the vessel’s owner.
Goldman Sachs has projected Brent crude averaging $80 per barrel in the fourth quarter and $75 in the following year, conditional on reduced Middle East tensions, while noting upside risks from potential shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz or Red Sea.
Brent prices rose above $91 per barrel amid recent U.S.-Iran exchanges and Houthi threats to Saudi shipments before edging lower on Tuesday. A senior Iranian official told Reuters that mediators had proposed a 10-day ceasefire to preserve an interim agreement.
Opening summary: Iran claims attacks on strait of Hormuz ships amid fresh US strikes Welcome to our live coverage of the latest developments in the Middle East crisis. Iran attacked a tanker in the strait of Hormuz early on Tuesday, forcing its crew to abandon the ship, as Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis announced they were imposing an immediate maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea after the two sides traded fire last week for the first time in years.
A Houthi official said the Bab al-Mandeb strait – at the southern end of the Red Sea, through which about 12% of the world’s trade usually passes – would be closed to the Saudis in response to the kingdom’s “unjust blockade on Yemenis for over 10 years”.
Saudi Arabia said it would take “all necessary measures to protect its vessels in accordance with international law”. A 10 consecutive night of US airstrikes has not compelled Tehran to loosen its grip on the strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global energy supplies.
But even as Iran’s president said the country had returned “full-scale war”, the Iranian interior minister travelled to Pakistan – a key mediator in the conflict – for talks. In key developments: The latest US strikes came hours after Donald Trump said Iran would pay “many times over” for killing US soldiers after multiple service members were killed in action over the weekend.
A tanker came under attack early Tuesday in the Hormuz strait off Oman, forcing the crew to abandon the vessel, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre said. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed the attack as well as two other attacks on ships in the waterway on Monday.
The US military’s Central Command said its latest airstrikes were to “degrade” Iran’s ability to attack commercial shipping in the strait and included hitting military command centres and missile and drone launch sites. Iranian media reported strikes in parts of the country including Bandar Abbas, Tabriz and Bushehr, home to the country’s only operational civilian nuclear power.
Iran’s launched attacks in response against Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan, which all host US forces. Oil prices softened after hitting their highest levels in more than a month in the previous session. Brent crude futures eased 0.4% to $88.87 a barrel by 0052 GMT on Tuesday while US West Texas Intermediate crude for September delivery was steady at $82.
47 a barrel. Democrats have seized on the deaths of three US troops killed in Iranian strikes to urge Trump to urgently reverse his resumption of the war with Iran amid widespread anxiety over climbing casualties. The Lebanese army began taking charge of security in three southern villages, the US said, as a deal to secure an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon and the disarmament of Hezbollah faced its first test on the ground.
US forces struck the tanker Settebello in the Gulf of Oman on June 10, killing three Indian crew members when munitions hit the engine room and adjacent areas. Maritime tracking data indicate the vessel had transported Iranian oil under US sanctions for several years and conducted offshore transfers prior to the strike.
The US military described the action as a precision operation, while reports note the ship was stationary at the time.