At the eleventh hour, Trump announced that the United States would extend the ceasefire until Iran's "fragmented" leadership could agree on a proposal. Hours earlier, the president had claimed that he had no plans for an extension - and that he "expects to bomb" if no agreement was reached.
But the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz continues, according to Trump. It is tantamount to an act of war, an adviser to Iranian Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf says.
"Trump extending the ceasefire makes no sense. (...) Continuing the blockade is no different from bombing and must be met with a military response. Moreover, any extension of the ceasefire is undoubtedly a way to buy time for a surprise attack. Now is the time for Iran to take the initiative," writes Mehdi Mohammadi on X.
The blockade of Iranian ports is causing Iran to "collapse economically," Trump claims.
"They want to open the Strait of Hormuz immediately - starved for money! They are losing $500 million a day," he writes on Truth Social early Wednesday, local time in Sweden.
Shortly before that, he emphasized that the blockade is fundamental to reaching an agreement with Iran. If the strait is opened, an agreement will be impossible, he wrote.
"Unless we blow up the rest of their country, including their leaders."
