Tehran held a military parade on Tuesday as the US-Iran ceasefire deadline approached, with Al Jazeera reporting large crowds attending the event.
Trump extended the ceasefire after the parade
President Donald Trump announced the extension of the US ceasefire with Iran hours after the Tehran parade, stating the truce would continue until Iranian leaders submit a unified proposal to end the war with the US and Israel.
The ceasefire extension maintains the naval blockade
Trump directed the US military to continue the blockade of Iranian ports while extending the ceasefire, saying the US would remain ready and able to act if negotiations fail.
For more on this story, see Trump Extends Iran Ceasefire Amid Peace Talk Uncertainty and Regional Tensions.
Iran refused to send negotiators to Pakistan
Iranian officials told Politico that Tehran would not send negotiators to Pakistan for peace talks unless Trump lifts the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which the US maintains under the extended ceasefire.
Trump accused Iran of wanting to save face
In a Truth Social post, Trump said Iran only claims to aim for the Strait of Hormuz open because it is currently blocked by the US, and that Tehran merely wants to ‘save face’ by demanding its reopening.
This follows our earlier report, US-Iran Ceasefire Extended Amid Rising Tensions: Trump Announces Extension, Blockade Continues, Israeli Soldiers Punished for Jesus Statue Destruction, Iran Warns of Surprise Strike, Middle East Crisis Live Updates.
Why did Trump extend the ceasefire?
Trump said the extension was warranted due to Tehran’s government being ‘seriously fractured’ and to allow more time for Iran to submit a unified proposal.
What is Iran’s condition for joining talks?
Iran insists the US must lift the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz before its negotiators will attend peace talks in Pakistan.