White House denies setting deadline to end truce with Iran amid conflicting reports

The White House clarified in official statements that US President Donald Trump has not set a specific timeframe for ending the recently announced extension of the ceasefire. The US administration indicated that the decision to extend came in response to Pakistani mediation, to give Tehran an opportunity to present a comprehensive proposal regarding ending the ongoing conflict.

Washington and Tehran had entered into a temporary truce that began on April 8 for two weeks, followed by a round of talks in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad. Despite diplomatic efforts made on the eleventh of the same month, the two parties did not reach a final agreement to end the state of tension.

White House spokeswoman Caroline Leavitt told reporters that reports of a final deadline were inaccurate, stressing that Trump is the primary decision-maker in setting timelines. Leavitt emphasized that the administration looks forward to seeing a unified and serious Iranian stance towards American proposals aimed at permanently stopping the fighting.

In a related context, Leavitt revealed in a television interview one of the basic conditions in the negotiations, which is the necessity of Iran agreeing to hand over its enriched uranium stockpile to the United States. Washington considers this step a fundamental pillar for any future agreement that guarantees the denuclearization of the region and the end of the war.

Regarding recent maritime incidents, the spokeswoman downplayed Iran's detention of two container ships, considering that this does not constitute a violation of the current ceasefire agreement. She justified this by stating that the detained ships are international and do not belong to the United States or Israel, describing Iranian movements in the Strait of Hormuz as acts of piracy and not legitimate control.

On the other hand, media sources quoted the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation as saying that the American side informed Tel Aviv that there is a deadline ending next Sunday. According to these sources, Trump seeks to achieve tangible and rapid understandings instead of engaging in long-term negotiation rounds that do not lead to immediate results.

Israeli sources expressed their doubts about the possibility of reaching an agreement by the presumed deadline, pointing to a state of ambiguity in American diplomatic behavior. These sources said that they are following the developments of American moves through social media and President Trump's personal accounts, which reflects a gap in coordination.

Amid this contradiction, a White House official told American media that the ceasefire may be extended for only three to five additional days. However, these estimates remain unconfirmed and are subject to President Trump's direct assessment and developments in the field and political situation.

For its part, Tehran responded to these developments through its president, Masoud Pezeshkian, who affirmed his country's openness to dialogue and agreements based on mutual respect. Pezeshkian criticized American policy, considering that imposing sanctions and continuous threats represent the biggest obstacle to the success of any real negotiations between the two countries.

The Iranian president accused the American administration of media deception and a clear contradiction between diplomatic statements and actions on the ground. He indicated in a tweet that the world is watching Washington's failure to abide by its previous commitments, which weakens trust in any new initiatives proposed by the United States.

The region is experiencing a state of cautious anticipation for what the next few days will bring, especially with the approaching end of the original truce period. International parties and mediators, led by Pakistan, are intensifying their efforts to bridge views and prevent a return to comprehensive military escalation.

The Iranian nuclear file and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz remain among the most complex issues on the table between Washington and Tehran. While Washington insists on strict conditions related to uranium, Tehran demands the lifting of sanctions and security guarantees that end the state of continuous threat to its vital interests.

The President has not set a deadline for receiving an Iranian proposal, and ultimately the Commander-in-Chief will determine the timeline.