Khaberni - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he does not want to extend the ceasefire in the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran which is about to end.
President Trump confirmed that the U.S. military is "fully prepared" if negotiations fail, anticipating strikes against Tehran and eventually reaching a suitable deal.
Trump said in an interview with "CNBC": "We will end up with a great deal.. They have no choice.. We have destroyed their naval fleet, eliminated their air force, and their leaders. It's regime change."
He added: "There is not much time left in the ceasefire deadline with Iran.. And I do not want to extend it.. We will eventually reach a big deal."
The U.S. president continued, saying: "I expect that we will carry out strikes against Iran because I see that this is the best approach to enter with.. and we are ready to act."
Trump referred to the American blockade saying: "The blockade has been very successful.. They said two days ago that they would open the strait.. I said no, we will not open the strait until we reach a final agreement", adding, "I think they have no other choice."
He also spoke about the Iranians saying: "We removed their leaders and this complicates things from one standpoint, but these leaders were much more rational.. It is regime change regardless of the name, and it's something I did not announce my intention to do but I did it indirectly."
Addressing the Iranians, he said: "They need to be sensible and use common sense, and they can position themselves as a great and legitimate nation, not a state based on death and terror."
Trump initially said that the ceasefire would last two weeks starting from the evening of April 7, 2026, but then said it would last until the evening of Wednesday, April 22, thus adding another day.
Trump's statement came shortly after the U.S. military announced that it had boarded a large Iranian oil tanker in international waters, in the first counter-move to Iran's crude oil exports.
This may complicate the revival of peace talks with Iran, which said it would not negotiate while Washington is imposing a blockade on its ports.
The U.S. president wants to reach an agreement that prevents further rise in oil prices and shocks in stock markets, but insists that Iran cannot have the means to make a nuclear weapon.
In contrast, Tehran hopes to leverage its control over the Strait of Hormuz, a vital navigation passage for global energy supplies, to reach an agreement that prevents the resumption of war and eases sanctions, but without hindering its nuclear program.
