US President Donald Trump has extended the ceasefire with Iran just hours before it was set to expire, while cancelling a key diplomatic visit to Pakistan.
Trump announced the extension of the ceasefire on Tuesday, only hours before the truce was due to expire on Wednesday.
He said the decision was made to give Iran more time to prepare a “unified proposal”, following a request from Pakistani officials who urged additional time for diplomacy.
Vance’s Pakistan visit called off
The White House confirmed that JD Vance will not travel to Pakistan for the expected second round of US-Iran talks.
“The trip to Pakistan will not be happening today. Any further updates on in-person meetings will be announced by the White House,” an official said in a statement.
The visit had been scheduled for Tuesday, with Vance leading a US delegation to Islamabad for face-to-face negotiations with Iranian officials.
Also Read: PM Shehbaz thanks Trump for Iran ceasefire extension
According to the White House, the decision to cancel the visit reflects Washington’s position that it is waiting for Iran to present a cohesive and unified proposal before continuing talks.
“In light of President Trump’s Truth Social post confirming the United States is awaiting a unified proposal from the Iranians, the trip to Pakistan will not be happening today,” a White House official told the press pool.
No new date has been announced for the visit.
The planned meeting in Islamabad would have followed an earlier round of high-level engagement held in Pakistan earlier this month. That initial round of negotiations ended without a breakthrough, prompting continued diplomatic efforts to resolve tensions.
US officials also noted that the latest delay was partly due to additional policy meetings at the White House.
Trump blames Iranian infighting
The US president has attributed the breakdown in ongoing talks to internal divisions within Iran, suggesting that infighting among Iranian leadership is slowing progress.
At the same time, he emphasized that Pakistan’s leadership played a role in requesting the ceasefire extension to keep diplomatic channels open.
Naval blockade continues
Despite the pause in talks, Washington continues to maintain its naval blockade of Iranian ports, increasing pressure on Tehran.
The delay in Vance’s travel highlights the administration’s broader strategy of holding off on further diplomatic engagement until Iran responds with a clear and unified position.
With the ceasefire extended but negotiations stalled, uncertainty remains over the next phase of US-Iran diplomacy.
Also Read: Trump announces extension of Iran ceasefire at Pakistan's request
In a statement on Truth Social, Trump said the planned strike against Iran had been postponed for the time being at the request of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, to allow the Iranian leadership and its representatives to present a joint proposal.
He said the ceasefire would remain in place until Iran submits its proposal and negotiations reach a conclusion. He added that the American military had been instructed to maintain the blockade against Iran and remain fully prepared in all other matters.
He said the Iranian government was facing severe internal divisions, which he termed as not unexpected.
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