The United States and Iran are edging toward a potentially catastrophic breakdown in ceasefire negotiations, with Donald Trump warning he expects to resume military strikes within 24 hours if Tehran fails to come to the table before the truce expires at 8pm Eastern Time on Wednesday.
The crisis deepened on Tuesday after Iran’s Foreign Ministry publicly stated it had “no plans for the next round of negotiations,” directly contradicting earlier reports that Iranian representatives were preparing to travel to Islamabad, Pakistan for a peace summit. Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar confirmed that Tehran had yet to commit to attending despite what he described as his country’s “sincere efforts to convince” Iran to participate. Pakistan’s foreign minister separately called on both sides to consider a two-week extension to the ceasefire “to give dialogue and diplomacy a chance” — a proposal Trump swiftly dismissed.
The US Vice President JD Vance remained at the White House on Tuesday, his planned departure to Pakistan having been cancelled at the last minute as uncertainty over Iran’s intentions grew. Senior White House officials were holding meetings alongside Vance to determine the next course of action, according to CNN.
Trump was unambiguous about what follows if the deadline passes without agreement. Speaking to CNBC on Tuesday morning, the President said he “expects to be bombing Iran” if talks fail, adding that “the military is raring to go.” He warned that energy infrastructure would be targeted should diplomacy collapse entirely, saying “lots of bombs start going off.” Despite the confusion surrounding Iran’s participation, Trump said he had no intention of extending the ceasefire. “We don’t have much time. Iran can make themselves into a strong nation again if they make a deal,” he said.
The negotiations have stalled principally over the US naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, through which approximately one fifth of global oil trade passes. Trump imposed the blockade after Tehran refused to suspend its nuclear programme, and in recent days American forces have begun boarding and seizing tankers bound for Iranian ports. Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammed-Bagher Ghalibaf signalled on Monday that his country was preparing to escalate if pressure continued, writing on X that Tehran had “prepared to reveal new cards on the battlefield” and would not accept “negotiations under the shadow of threats.”
Global oil markets have remained volatile throughout the 53-day conflict, with average petrol prices in the United States climbing above four dollars per gallon. The coming hours are likely to determine whether a fragile ceasefire gives way to renewed and potentially intensified military confrontation.
