United States President Donald Trump on Thursday extended a pause on strikes against Iranian energy facilities by a further ten days while simultaneously declaring at a White House Cabinet meeting that he is unsure whether Washington is even willing to reach a diplomatic agreement to end the four-week war.
Trump extended the suspension of energy site strikes to Monday, April 6, 2026, citing ongoing talks, while in the same Cabinet meeting saying there were still targets the United States wanted to hit and that he does not care whether a deal is reached.
During the Cabinet meeting, Trump described Iranian negotiators as capable but expressed open uncertainty about America’s own readiness to close an agreement, saying he did not know if the United States was willing to do so.
Trump insisted Iran was the party pressing for a resolution, saying Tehran is begging to make a deal, while Iranian officials have publicly denied they are engaged in direct negotiations with Washington.
The White House confirmed that diplomatic communications with Iran are being channelled through Pakistan, with special envoy Steve Witkoff described as leading the indirect engagement.
The conflicting signals from Washington, simultaneously extending an olive branch while threatening continued military action, have deepened uncertainty over the prospect of a ceasefire. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi acknowledged that messages had been exchanged through intermediaries but insisted this did not constitute negotiations, and characterised Washington’s shift in tone as an admission of failure after it had previously demanded unconditional surrender.
The United States is also reported to be positioning thousands of additional troops in the region who could be deployed rapidly for possible ground operations, with analysts saying Washington may be preparing to seize Iran’s Kharg Island oil terminal if negotiations collapse.
Iran has meanwhile tightened its grip on the Strait of Hormuz, effectively creating a toll system for tankers seeking passage through the waterway, which carries approximately one-fifth of the world’s daily oil supply. Brent crude settled at $101.89 a barrel on Thursday, up sharply from around $70 before the conflict began.
The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, expressed deep concern over recent strikes near Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant, warning that any damage to the operating reactor could cause a major radiological accident affecting a large area of Iran and beyond.
