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US President Donald Trump on Friday (local time) indicated that he may not extend the ongoing ceasefire with Iran, raising the prospect of renewed military action in the region if a deal is not reached with the Islamic Republic in order to achieve a complete halt to the hostilities in West Asia.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One during a press gaggle, Trump said the decision would depend on whether an agreement is reached before the ceasefire deadline. He further noted that even if a ceasefire deal is not reached, the US naval blockade of the ports of Iran will continue. "Maybe I won't extend it. But the blockade is going to remain, but maybe I won't extend it. So, you have a blockade, and unfortunately, we'll have to start dropping bombs again," the US President said. Trump was responding to a question on whether the ceasefire would be extended if no deal were reached by Wednesday, April 22, when the current two-week truce is set to expire. The remarks suggest a hardening stance by the United States, with Trump making clear that while the blockade would continue, the pause in hostilities may not. Meanwhile, a fresh round of talks between Iranian and American negotiators is expected to take place in Islamabad on Monday to reach a deal, CNN reported, citing Iranian officials familiar with the discussions. According to CNN, the delegations are likely to arrive in the Pakistani capital on Sunday. The visit aims to prepare the ground for a possible solution between the two sides after earlier discussions ended in a stalemate. The Islamabad Peace Talks, held from April 11 to April 12, marked a historic but inconclusive diplomatic attempt to end the over-month-long hostilities between the United States and Iran. Mediated by Pakistan, the talks were the first high-level, face-to-face negotiations between the two nations since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. (ANI)
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