SEOUL, April 21 (AJP) - The U.S. is unlikely to extend its two-week ceasefire with Iran, which expires this week, U.S. President Donald Trump told Bloomberg on Monday, downplaying the chances of another extension.
During a phone interview, Trump said the ceasefire would end "Wednesday evening Washington time" - a deadline extended by a day from an initially expected Tuesday expiry, after he announced the temporary truce on April 7 following threats to strike Iranian facilities.
Trump added it is "highly unlikely" the deadline will be extended, as a U.S. negotiating team led by Vice President JD Vance, which also includes U.S. special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law, is traveling to Islamabad in Pakistan for talks with Iran.
When asked about concerns that he would be "under pressure" to cut a deal with Iran, Trump brushed them off, saying he is "not going to be rushed into making a bad deal."
In a post on his own platform Truth Social earlier in the day, Trump also expressed confidence he would secure a "far better" deal than the 2015 agreement reached with Iran under former President Barack Obama.
"The DEAL that we are making with Iran will be FAR BETTER than the JCPOA, commonly referred to as 'The Iran Nuclear Deal,' penned by Barack Hussein Obama and Sleepy Joe Biden, one of the Worst Deals ever made having to do with the Security of our Country. It was a guaranteed Road to a Nuclear Weapon, which will not, and cannot, happen with the Deal we're working on," he wrote.
But Trump's comments come as uncertainty remains over whether another round of talks between Washington and Tehran will take place, after the first round earlier this month ended without agreement, amid renewed tensions in the Middle East as Iran denied any plans to negotiate with the U.S. and instead vowed to retaliate over the U.S. seizure of an Iranian cargo ship last weekend.
With looming talks between Washington and Tehran just hours ahead of Wednesday's deadline, it remains to be seen whether the two sides can make a last-minute breakthrough and reach a peace deal.
During a phone interview, Trump said the ceasefire would end "Wednesday evening Washington time" - a deadline extended by a day from an initially expected Tuesday expiry, after he announced the temporary truce on April 7 following threats to strike Iranian facilities.
Trump added it is "highly unlikely" the deadline will be extended, as a U.S. negotiating team led by Vice President JD Vance, which also includes U.S. special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law, is traveling to Islamabad in Pakistan for talks with Iran.
When asked about concerns that he would be "under pressure" to cut a deal with Iran, Trump brushed them off, saying he is "not going to be rushed into making a bad deal."
In a post on his own platform Truth Social earlier in the day, Trump also expressed confidence he would secure a "far better" deal than the 2015 agreement reached with Iran under former President Barack Obama.
"The DEAL that we are making with Iran will be FAR BETTER than the JCPOA, commonly referred to as 'The Iran Nuclear Deal,' penned by Barack Hussein Obama and Sleepy Joe Biden, one of the Worst Deals ever made having to do with the Security of our Country. It was a guaranteed Road to a Nuclear Weapon, which will not, and cannot, happen with the Deal we're working on," he wrote.
But Trump's comments come as uncertainty remains over whether another round of talks between Washington and Tehran will take place, after the first round earlier this month ended without agreement, amid renewed tensions in the Middle East as Iran denied any plans to negotiate with the U.S. and instead vowed to retaliate over the U.S. seizure of an Iranian cargo ship last weekend.
With looming talks between Washington and Tehran just hours ahead of Wednesday's deadline, it remains to be seen whether the two sides can make a last-minute breakthrough and reach a peace deal.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.