US-Iran conflict: Trump refuses to extend ceasefire beyond Wednesday; Pezeshkian slams tactics

US/ Tehran: US President Donald Trump on Monday announced that the ceasefire with Iran will end this Wednesday evening, Washington time. He believes it is "highly unlikely" that he will extend the break in fighting if a new deal is not reached. The two-week ceasefire originally began on April 7.

Trump is staying firm on his position. He told Bloomberg in a phone interview, “I’m not going to be rushed into making a bad deal. We’ve got all the time in the world”. When asked if he thought the fighting would start again immediately if talks fail, he replied, “If there’s no deal, I would certainly expect”.

Mistrust and defiance in Tehran

While the clock ticks down, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian says there is a “deep historical mistrust” of the US government. He criticised American officials for sending what he called “unconstructive and contradictory signals”.

Pezeshkian shared his thoughts on social media on Monday. He argued that “Honoring commitments is the basis of meaningful dialogue”. The Iranian leader feels that the mixed messages from the US are actually a demand for "Iran’s surrender". He warned, “Iranians do not submit to force”.

Uncertainty over next steps

The situation remains unpredictable. Over the last week, Trump has changed his mind several times about whether he would give the talks more time. During one meeting with reporters, he was asked five times about extending the ceasefire and gave three different answers.

The world now waits to see if a deal can be struck before Wednesday night, or if the region will return to active conflict.