The fragile pause in the US‑Israeli war with Iran was shaken Wednesday after Iran’s Revolutionary Guard fired on three vessels and seized two international ships in the Strait of Hormuz, jeopardizing prospects for renewed ceasefire negotiations.
US President Donald Trump said he was extending the truce to allow more time for mediation led by Pakistan; the White House later said no new expiration date had been set. Tehran, however, gave no public endorsement and said it had not decided whether to attend another round of talks. Iran accused the United States of acting in bad faith.
Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf insisted a lasting ceasefire requires Washington to lift its naval blockade of Iranian ports, calling the blockade an act of war and saying the strait cannot be reopened while the blockade continues. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said Iran had not agreed to the proposed talks, and Mojtaba Ferdousi Pour, head of Iran’s mission in Egypt, told the AP no delegation would go to Pakistan until the blockade is removed.
The standoff has effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint that carries about one‑fifth of global oil and much liquefied natural gas. The closure has disrupted shipping, pushed up energy and fertilizer prices, and strained economies worldwide. Residents expressed uncertainty about the future; one Tehran resident said it was unclear whether the situation would lead to sustained peace or continued fighting.
With diplomatic momentum stalled and the vital waterway closed, the Hormuz confrontation now looms large over any hope that the ceasefire extension will translate into durable negotiations or a prompt easing of hostilities.