Trump Expects Iran Ceasefire Extension, Hormuz Reopening Deal ‘Next Week’

Trump Sees Iran Deal Within a Week as Ceasefire Talks Face Fresh Uncertainty

US President Donald Trump said Monday that he expects a deal with Iran within the next week to extend the ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, even as conflicting signals emerged over the future of negotiations between Washington and Tehran.

Speaking to ABC News, Trump expressed optimism about ongoing diplomatic efforts and later reiterated on Truth Social that talks with the Islamic Republic were continuing. “Talks are continuing, at a rapid pace, with the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Trump wrote.

His remarks came after Iran’s state-affiliated Tasnim News Agency reported that Tehran had suspended indirect negotiations with the United States, citing Israel’s military operations in Lebanon as the reason for the move. Asked about the report during interviews with US media outlets, Trump said Washington had not received any official notification from Iran.

Trump suggested that a temporary pause in communication would not necessarily be a setback. “I think we’ve been talking too much, if you want to know the truth. Going silent would be very good, and that could be for a long time,” he said.

The US president also stressed that any halt in negotiations would not automatically lead to military action against Iran, although existing US restrictions on Iranian ports would remain in place. In a separate interview with CNBC, Trump appeared unfazed by reports of a possible breakdown in talks.

“I don’t care if they’re over, honestly. I couldn’t care less,” he said, before later insisting negotiations were still underway.

Iran Ties Talks to Lebanon Tensions

According to Tasnim, Iran’s negotiating team halted indirect exchanges with Washington through mediators after Israel expanded military operations in Lebanon, where fighting involving the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement has intensified.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that developments in Lebanon could undermine broader ceasefire efforts across the region. “Violation on one front is a violation of the ceasefire on all fronts. The US and Israel are responsible for the consequences of any violation,” Araghchi said on X.

The report further complicated hopes for a quick diplomatic breakthrough and triggered a sharp reaction in energy markets, with oil prices rising by more than $5 a barrel.

Hormuz and Regional Security at the Center

The US-Israeli military campaign launched on February 28 has left thousands dead across Iran and Lebanon while disrupting global energy markets. Concerns over shipping through the Strait of Hormuz have remained a major source of volatility, given the waterway’s importance to global oil and liquefied natural gas exports.

Tasnim reported that Iran and allied groups in the so-called Resistance Front — including partners in Yemen, Lebanon and Iraq — were discussing measures to maintain pressure on strategic maritime routes and potentially expand the conflict to additional fronts.

Among the areas of concern is the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, a crucial shipping corridor linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and serving as a gateway to the Suez Canal.

Ceasefire Holds, But Clashes Persist

Despite a ceasefire that has largely held since April, military tensions between the United States and Iran have continued.

The US military said it carried out strikes over the weekend against Iranian air-defense systems, a ground-control station and two drones after what it described as aggressive Iranian actions, including the downing of a US drone over international waters.

In response, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had targeted a US air base, though it did not specify the location. Kuwait later activated its air defenses and condemned missile and drone activity in the region, warning that such incidents threatened efforts to lower tensions.

According to the US military, American forces intercepted two Iranian ballistic missiles aimed at US personnel in Kuwait late Sunday, and no casualties were reported.