Hours before the US-Iran ceasefire was to end, US President Donald Trump said he is extending the truce until Tehran has submitted a proposal to end the war. 

However, he said the US would continue to blockade Iranian ports. Iran insists the blockade should be removed before talks could begin.

In an interview earlier, Trump said he didn’t want to extend the truce that was due to expire Wednesday evening ET.

Trump’s extension, however, “means nothing” and Tehran should respond militarily, an Iranian senior adviser said in response to the US president. Earlier, Iran’s foreign minister said the US blockade amounted to an “act of war” and violated the ceasefire.

Following Trump’s announcement, Vice President JD Vance’s expected trip to Islamabad to lead talks with Iran has been called off for the day, according to a White House official.

Trump said in a statement: "Based on the fact that the Government of Iran is seriously fractured, not unexpectedly so and, upon the request of Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, of Pakistan, we have been asked to hold our Attack on the Country of Iran until such time as their leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal. 

"I have therefore directed our Military to continue the Blockade and, in all other respects, remain ready and able, and will therefore extend the Ceasefire until such time as their proposal is submitted, and discussions are concluded, one way or the other."

In another Truth Social post, Trump said Iran ultimately wants the Strait of Hormuz reopened but t lifting the US blockade of Iranian ports would undermine the prospects of a peace deal, unless “we blow up” the rest of the country.

"Iran doesn’t want the Strait of Hormuz closed, they want it open so they can make $500 Million Dollars a day (which is, therefore, what they are losing if it is closed!). They only say they want it closed because I have it totally BLOCKADED (CLOSED!), so they merely want to “save face.”

"People approached me four days ago, saying, “Sir, Iran wants to open up the Strait, immediately.” But if we do that, there can never be a Deal with Iran, unless we blow up the rest of their Country, their leaders included!"

Iran’s United Nations envoy has said he believes negotiations will be held in Pakistan’s capital once the United States ends its blockade of Iranian ports.

“As soon as Washington ends the naval blockade, I think the next round of negotiations will be held in Islamabad,” Amir Saeid Iravani, Iran’s permanent representative to the UN, told reporters Tuesday at UN headquarters in New York, according to Iranian state media IRNA.