President Trump announced on Tuesday that he is extending the ceasefire with Iran with no set deadline. The decision came hours before the previous truce was set to expire, averting a potential resumption of the war and a massive regional escalation. It followed a White House meeting with his national security team.
The move contradicts Trump's own statement earlier Tuesday that he did not want to extend the ceasefire. While signaling he is not ready to resume the war, the open-ended extension risks undercutting his leverage, removing both the pressure of a ticking deadline and the credibility of his military threat.
Trump wrote on Truth Social that he made the decision at the request of Pakistani mediators, specifically military chief Field Marshal Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. He cited the fact that "the Government of Iran is seriously fractured" as a reason to hold off on an attack.
The announcement came as Vice President Vance's planned trip to Islamabad on Tuesday was delayed and then postponed indefinitely. This followed Iran's refusal to participate in a new round of peace talks, complicating diplomatic efforts.
The extension gives diplomacy another chance to produce a deal, but the indefinite nature of the pause creates uncertainty about the long-term path forward.