Truce expired, extended

President Donald Trump said the United States would keep its ceasefire with Iran in place after the two-week truce reached its April 22 deadline. (apnews.com) Trump said Pakistan asked Washington to hold off on renewed attacks while Iranian leaders worked on what he called a “unified proposal.” He said the extension would last until talks conclude “one way or the other.” (time.com) (bloomberg.com) The original truce was announced on April 7, and a second round of talks had been expected in Islamabad before the deadline. Vice President JD Vance’s expected trip to Pakistan was put on hold as those plans unraveled. (bloomberg.com) (cnbc.com) Iran did not publicly confirm that it was joining the Pakistan talks before the deadline passed. Tasnim, a semi-official Iranian outlet, reported that Tehran had told U.S. counterparts through a Pakistani intermediary that it would not attend. (cnbc.com) (cgtn.com) That left the ceasefire in an unusual position on April 22: still standing militarily, but no longer tied to the original two-week calendar. Trump also said the U.S. military blockade would remain in place while diplomacy stalled. (apnews.com) (aljazeera.com) Pakistan has become the main intermediary between Washington and Tehran in this round of talks. Trump specifically named Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir as the officials who asked for more time. (time.com) (firstpost.com) The immediate dispute is not whether the April 22 deadline existed, but what follows it. U.S. statements described an open-ended extension, while Iranian-linked reporting emphasized that Tehran had not agreed to fresh talks in Islamabad. (apnews.com) (newarab.com) By late April 23, the public picture was still a ceasefire without a signed next step: Washington says the pause continues, Tehran has not matched that announcement, and Pakistan is still trying to keep the channel open. (apnews.com) (cfr.org)