Trump Rejects Iran Ceasefire Extension and Pushes for Diplomacy

President Donald Trump announced he will not extend the current ceasefire with Iran, asserting that the conflict is nearing its end and that the U.S. has already eliminated extremists and destroyed Iranian capabilities. While maintaining a preference for a diplomatic agreement over total military victory, Trump warned that the U.S. possesses the capacity to destroy all Iranian bridges and power plants within a single hour.

Trump stated the U.S. has exercised restraint to avoid the long-term burden of rebuilding infrastructure, which he claimed could take up to 10 years. He defended previous military actions as necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon and claimed the regime has been obliterated and pushed to the brink.

To secure a diplomatic exit before the ceasefire expires next week, Trump tasked Vice President J.D. Vance and envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner with negotiating a deal. Trump anticipates peace talks will resume in Pakistan within two days, with a subsequent round of direct negotiations expected to take place in Europe.