US-Iran agree to ‘in-principle’ extension of ceasefire: Report

A senior Iranian military official threatened to halt trade in the region if the US does not lift its naval blockade, underscoring tensions that are overshadowing the diplomacy.

Days after the US blockade on Iranian ports began, mediators inched closer to extending the truce between war raging nations. The two-week ceasefire is set to expire next week and negotiations between Iran and US are likely to restart, sources told Associated Press.

In order to facilitate the talks, an ‘in-principle’ agreement has been reached between the two nations to extend the ceasefire beyond the initial two-week deadline, according to Syrian Arab News Agency (Sana).

The US blockade on Iranian ports and renewed Iranian threats have threatened the week-old agreement, but regional officials said on Wednesday that they were making progress. The Associated Press quoted officials that the US and Iran had agreed “in principle” to extend the ceasefire to give room to diplomacy.

While Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, denied that the US had “formally” requested to extend the two-week ceasefire, she added that Washington remained “very much engaged in these negotiations”, as per The Guardian.

Further, Leavitt said a second round of negotiations would “very likely” be held in Islamabad adding that the White House feels “good about the prospects of a deal” only days after negotiations to reach a peace agreement failed.

“Nothing is official until you hear it from us here at the White House,” she added.

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Days after the US blockade on Iranian ports began, mediators inched closer to extending the truce between war raging nations. The two-week ceasefire is set to expire next week and negotiations between Iran and US are likely to restart, sources told Associated Press.

In order to facilitate the talks, an ‘in-principle’ agreement has been reached between the two nations to extend the ceasefire beyond the initial two-week deadline, according to Syrian Arab News Agency (Sana).

The US blockade on Iranian ports and renewed Iranian threats have threatened the week-old agreement, but regional officials said on Wednesday that they were making progress. The Associated Press quoted officials that the US and Iran had agreed “in principle” to extend the ceasefire to give room to diplomacy.

While Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, denied that the US had “formally” requested to extend the two-week ceasefire, she added that Washington remained “very much engaged in these negotiations”, as per The Guardian.

Further, Leavitt said a second round of negotiations would “very likely” be held in Islamabad adding that the White House feels “good about the prospects of a deal” only days after negotiations to reach a peace agreement failed.

“Nothing is official until you hear it from us here at the White House,” she added.