Washington, DC [US], April 22 (ANI): In a day of high-stakes brinkmanship and conflicting signals, US President Donald Trump on Wednesday hinted at a “possible” diplomatic breakthrough with Iran, even as maritime tensions in the Strait of Hormuz threaten to collapse a fragile regional ceasefire.
The President’s optimism, delivered via a text message to The New York Post, follows his decision to extend a two-week ceasefire, a move he claims was requested by Pakistan’s leadership to give a “seriously fractured” Iranian government time to present a unified proposal.
When asked by The New York Post about the reported breakthrough, Trump responded in a text message: “It’s possible! President DJT.”
The report further cited sources from Pakistan in Islamabad who told the publication that they were observing encouraging diplomatic outreach with Iran after Tehran declined to participate in the second round of talks there, citing security concerns.
According to The New York Post, renewed talks could take place within a timeframe of approximately 36 to 72 hours, citing Pakistani sources.
“The ceasefire is holding despite heightened rhetoric, indicating positive intent on both sides,” the source said, as quoted by The New York Post.
The statement comes after Trump on Tuesday announced the extension of the ceasefire with Iran, citing the need to allow Tehran’s leadership more time to formulate a unified proposal and further claiming that the Iranian government was “seriously fractured.”
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the decision followed concerns over internal divisions within Iran’s government and appeals from international stakeholders. He also stated that the US military would remain on alert while maintaining a blockade until further diplomatic progress is made.
“Based on the fact that the Government of Iran is seriously fractured, not unexpectedly so, and upon the request of Field Marshal Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan, we have been asked to hold our attack on the country of Iran until such time as their leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal,” the post read.
“I have therefore directed our military to continue the blockade and, in all other respects, remain ready and able, and will therefore extend the ceasefire until such time as their proposal is submitted and discussions are concluded, one way or the other,” it added.
The ceasefire extension followed the collapse of the second round of diplomatic talks between Iran and the United States in Islamabad as the deadline for the initial two-week ceasefire deal approached. However, Trump has not specified a timeline for this extension.
Trump also claimed that Iran is undergoing a severe financial crisis, asserting that the country is “collapsing financially” as tensions continue to simmer in the region.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said Tehran is “starving for cash” and is allegedly “losing 500 million dollars a day.” He further stated that the Iranian leadership is under significant internal pressure, with the “military and police complaining that they are not getting paid.”
“Iran is collapsing financially! They want the Strait of Hormuz opened immediately — starving for cash! Losing 500 million dollars a day. Military and police complaining that they are not getting paid. SOS!!!” the post read.
However, diplomatic signals from Iran indicate conditions for restarting negotiations. Iranian Ambassador to the United Nations Amir Saeid Iravani said Tehran is willing to resume talks only after the United States ends its naval blockade of Iranian ports, which Iran considers a violation of the ceasefire agreement.
Citing an interview given by Iravani to Rudlaw News Network at UN headquarters, Tasnim News Agency reported that the Iranian envoy emphasized that for any dialogue to proceed, Washington must first halt its “ceasefire violations.”
“The naval blockade of the United States is a violation of the ceasefire. And we told them that they should break this blockade. We have received some signs that they are ready to break it. And as soon as they break this blockade, I think the next round of negotiations will take place in Istanbul. Listen to them, we have not initiated the military aggression. They initiated the war against us and we are ready. If they want to sit at the table and discuss and find a political solution, they will find us ready. If they want to go to war, in this case also Iran is ready for that,” Iravani said.
The ambassador’s remarks suggest that while a channel for communication may exist, the removal of the blockade remains the primary obstacle to a formal diplomatic process.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) earlier claimed that its naval forces seized two vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, alleging that the ships violated its territorial waters and attempted to exit the strategic waterway without authorization from Tehran.
In a statement reported by Iranian state media outlet Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), the two ships — identified as “MSC-Francesca” and “Epaminodes” — were allegedly involved in violations while transiting the waterway.
The IRGC stated that the vessels were attempting to exit the strait without authorization, accusing them of repeated infractions, including tampering with navigational aid systems and endangering maritime security.
“In line with the intelligent control of the Strait of Hormuz, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy this morning identified two violating ships named ‘MSC-Francesca,’ belonging to the Zionist regime, and the violating vessel ‘Epaminodes,’ which were attempting to secretly exit the Strait of Hormuz without authorization by committing repeated violations and tampering with navigational aid systems and jeopardizing maritime security,” the statement read, as quoted by IRIB.
The IRGC Navy further emphasized that it maintains “intelligent control” over the strait and reiterated that any actions deemed to violate Iran’s maritime regulations or disrupt safe passage through the waterway would be closely monitored.
The developments mark a significant escalation in maritime hostilities, underscoring heightened tensions in the region’s critical waterways.
Earlier in the day, two incidents involving ship attacks were reported by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), highlighting a sharp increase in maritime security threats in the Strait of Hormuz and nearby waters.
According to UKMTO, one incident involved an outbound cargo vessel that was fired upon approximately 8 nautical miles off the coast of Iran, forcing the ship to halt. While the crew was reported safe and no damage was observed, the episode added to growing concerns over vessel safety in the region.
In a separate earlier incident, a container ship located northeast of Oman was approached by an armed boat linked to the IRGC. The master of the vessel reported that the attackers opened fire, causing significant damage to the ship’s bridge. Despite the severity of the attack, all crew members were confirmed safe, with no casualties or environmental damage reported. (ANI)
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