US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that a new round of peace talks with Iran was “possible” within the next 36 to 72 hours, even as fresh reporting narrowed his “indefinite” ceasefire extension to a short window and Tehran’s state television said Iran did not recognise the truce at all.
The New York Post reported that Pakistani sources were touting positive mediation efforts with Tehran and that Trump had replied by text, “It’s possible! President DJT.” The president announced the ceasefire extension at Pakistan’s request on Tuesday, saying it would run until Iran submitted a “unified proposal” and bilateral discussions were “concluded, one way or the other.” He described the Tehran government as “seriously fractured.”
Axios, citing three US officials, reported that the extension was not in fact indefinite. “Trump is willing to give another three to five days of ceasefire to allow the Iranians to get their shit together,” one official told the outlet. “It is not going to be open-ended.”
Iran’s state television pushed back in the opposite direction, saying the country did not recognise the ceasefire announced by Trump and would act in accordance with its national interests. The statement adds to uncertainty over whether a second round of negotiations can be convened at all.
On Tuesday, Vice President JD Vance put his trip to Pakistan for a second round of talks on hold, after Iran failed to respond to American demands, The New York Times reported. The US delegation includes Vance, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and the president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
The first round in Islamabad on April 11-12 collapsed over a US demand that Iran make an “affirmative” commitment not to seek a nuclear weapon. The narrower window leaves Sri Lanka’s fuel supply outlook exposed to a renewed Hormuz risk premium within days if the talks fail to materialise.
