Iran war: Trump says US extending ceasefire to give Iran more time to negotiate
What you need to know
- President Donald Trump extends ceasefire with Iran at Pakistan's request
- Vice President JD Vance's trip to Islamabad for negotiations has been put on hold, reports say
- It comes after Pakistan's information minister said Iran was yet to confirm attendance at peace talks with US
- IEA says the Iran war is fueling the biggest energy crisis in history
Here is a round-up of the latest developments from the US-Israeli war with Iran and the wider Middle East on Tuesday, April 21, 2026:
Skip next section Trump says ceasefire extended as he awaits Iran proposal04/21/2026April 21, 2026Trump says ceasefire extended as he awaits Iran proposal
President Donald Trump says he is extending the ceasefire with Iran.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the truce will remain in place until Iran submits a proposal and talks are concluded.
He said the decision was made at the request of Pakistan, to give Iranian leaders time to agree on what he called a unified proposal.
Trump added that “he’s 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.”
The president made the move even as the White House has put on hold Vice President JD Vance’s expected trip to Islamabad for a second round of talks as Tehran, at least for time being, is balking at further talks.
https://p.dw.com/p/5CcOoSkip next section Senior Iranian commander threatens to destroy the region's oil industry if war resumes with the US04/21/2026April 21, 2026Senior Iranian commander threatens to destroy the region's oil industry if war resumes with the US
General Majid Mousavi, the aerospace chief for the Revolutionary Guard, said in comments on Iranian media that it would be a mistake to carry out "aggression" against Iran. He also said the region's oil facilities would be harmed if neighboring countries allow the US to carry out attacks.
"If southern neighbors allow the enemy to use their facilities to attack Iran, they should say goodbye to oil production in the Middle East region," he said.
The US has bases and troops in several countries across the region.
Will the Iran war cause a global recession?
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https://p.dw.com/p/5CcLKSkip next section VIDEO: Peace talks uncertain as end of truce nears04/21/2026April 21, 2026VIDEO: Peace talks uncertain as end of truce nears
US-Iran talks in Islamabad uncertain as end of truce nears
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https://p.dw.com/p/5CcLJSkip next section Vance's trip to Pakistan for peace talks is on hold, reports say04/21/2026April 21, 2026Vance's trip to Pakistan for peace talks is on hold, reports say
US Vice President JD Vance's trip to Islamabad for potential talks has been put on hold, the Associated Press reported citing a US official with knowledge on the matter. But the US official cautioned that Trump could change his mind at any minute.
The official spoke on the condition of anonymity and said Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner were expected in Washington on Tuesday afternoon for consultations about how to proceed.
The official declined to predict what would happen if the current ceasefire expires without another meeting Islamabad but noted that Trump retains options short of restarting airstrikes.
The New York Times first broke the news.
https://p.dw.com/p/5CcKqSkip next section Israel's military says it struck Hezbollah target after rocket fire04/21/2026April 21, 2026Israel's military says it struck Hezbollah target after rocket fire
The Israeli military said it struck a Hezbollah rocket launcher in southern Lebanon on Tuesday, accusing the Shiite, pro-Iran group of firing at troops in a "blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement."
The military said in a statement that Hezbollah launched "several rockets" toward Israeli troops still present in southern Lebanon despite a US-mediated 10-day ceasefire that has been in effect since Thursday.
It added that sirens sounded in two northern Israeli communities after a drone fired from Lebanon was intercepted before crossing into Israeli territory.
Israel has carried out airstrikes across Lebanon and invaded the country's south after Hezbollah entered the US-Israeli war with Iran on March 2. Despite the ceasefire, Israeli troops remain engaged in combat with Hezbollah and have continued demolitions, saying they are targeting the group's infrastructure.
Hezbollah rejects direct Lebanon-Israel talks
Hezbollah has rejected ongoing direct talks between Lebanon and Israel, which Israel says aim to disarm the militant group and normalize relations between the two countries.
Lebanese authorities say the talks are intended to end the Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon.
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Lebanon's most senior Shiite statesman and a Hezbollah ally, earlier told Lebanese newspaper al-Joumhouria that Israeli forces occupying parts of the south would face resistance if they did not withdraw.
"If they insist on remaining, they will face resistance, and our history bears witness to that," Berri was quoted as saying.
https://p.dw.com/p/5CcEuSkip next section Israel sentences two soldiers over destruction of Jesus statue in southern Lebanon04/21/2026April 21, 2026Israel sentences two soldiers over destruction of Jesus statue in southern Lebanon
The Israeli military has removed two soldiers from combat duty and sentenced them to 30 days in prison over the destruction of a Jesus statue in southern Lebanon, an incident captured in a widely circulated photograph.
A photo showing an Israeli soldier striking a fallen sculpture of Jesus on the cross sparked widespread condemnation both inside Israel and abroad.
A military investigation found that one soldier damaged a Christian religious symbol in the southern Lebanese village of Debel, while another documented the act by photographing it.
The military also summoned six additional soldiers for what it described as "clarification discussions." The military added they were present during the incident but failed to intervene or report the behavior.
"The inquiry determined that the [punished] soldiers' conduct completely deviated from IDF orders and values," the military statement said.
The military added in a post on X that the damaged sculpture was replaced "in full coordination with the local community."
Rights groups say disciplinary action of this kind is relatively rare in the Israeli military.
The case comes amid heightened scrutiny of military conduct, after charges were recently dropped against Israeli soldiers accused of sexually abusing a Gaza detainee.
https://p.dw.com/p/5CcEASkip next section Pakistan waiting on Iran's formal response to new talks with US04/21/2026April 21, 2026Pakistan waiting on Iran's formal response to new talks with US
Islamabad said on Tuesday it was yet to receive a formal response from Tehran regarding its attendance at peace talks with the US, initially scheduled for Tuesday.
Pakistan's Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the country was in "constant touch with the Iranians," and had made "sincere efforts" to convince Tehran to take part in the second round of talks.
The minister reminded that the ceasefire ends at 04:50 a.m. PST (1150 GMT), stressing that Iran's decision before the ceasefire expires is "critical."
https://p.dw.com/p/5CbhVSkip next section US forces intercept sanctioned oil tanker in the Indian Ocean, Pentagon says04/21/2026April 21, 2026US forces intercept sanctioned oil tanker in the Indian Ocean, Pentagon says
US Defense Department forces intercepted and boarded a vessel reportedly affiliated with Iran in the Indian Ocean, with the Pentagon saying the move was part of its effort to "interdict sanctioned vessels providing material support to Iran."
In a statement on X, the Pentagon described the intercepted vessel, M/T Tifani, as a "stateless sanctioned" ship, saying it was boarded "without incident in the INDOPACOM area of responsibility," a reference to the US-Indo-Pacific Command.
Intelligence firm Vanguard Tech identified the Tifani as a "Botswana-flagged tanker," with ship-tracking data showing the ship in the Indian Ocean between Sri Lanka and Indonesia.
The French AFP news agency identified the vessel as being affiliated with Iranian activity.
AFP cited information by energy intelligence firm Kpler as saying the vessel had loaded some two million barrels of crude oil at Iran's Kharg Island on April 5 and having then passed through the Strait of Hormuz on April 9.
"International waters are not a refuge for sanctioned vessels," the Pentagon said in its post.
https://p.dw.com/p/5CbfWSkip next section Iran denounces UAE for 'baseless' accusation04/21/2026April 21, 2026Iran denounces UAE for 'baseless' accusation
Muna TurkiIran on Tuesday condemned the arrest of a group in the United Arab Emirates, saying those detained were accused without evidence of links to Tehran and involvement in plotting "terror" attacks.
In a statement, an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said the arrests were made under "baseless pretexts." He called on the UAE "to respect the rights and human dignity of individuals, refrain from retaliatory behaviour."
UAE state security released on Monday the names and mugshots of 27 detainees, without disclosing their nationality. The suspects are said to be linked to Iran and face charges including forming and running a secret organization, pledging allegiance to foreign entities, and undermining national unity and social stability, according to the UAE.
Tensions between Iran and the UAE have escalated in the wake of the US-Israel attack on Iran. The UAE has been the country most targeted by Iranian strikes during the conflict, although most attacks were intercepted.
Iran, in turn, accuses the Gulf country of allowing the United States to use its territory for military operations and has targeted what it describes as US interests in the region with missile and drone strikes.
Last month, the UAE said it had arrested at least five people linked to a "terrorist network" tied to Iran and Lebanon’s Hezbollah.
How will the UAE respond to Iran's drone attack?
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https://p.dw.com/p/5CbcnSkip next section Trump says he does not want to extend ceasefire with Iran04/21/2026April 21, 2026Trump says he does not want to extend ceasefire with Iran
President Trump told broadcaster CNBC that Washington had significant leverage in negotiations, and that he therefore would not seek to extend the current ceasefire with Tehran.
"I don't want to do that. We don't have that much time," he said when asked if he would try to make an extension to the current agreement.
He said that while diplomats were ready for further truce talks in Pakistan, he assumed the bombing campaign would pick back up again if Iran didn't make certain concessions — something that appears increasingly unlikely.
"We're ready to go. I mean, the military is raring to go," he said.
https://p.dw.com/p/5Cb0cSkip next section What to know if you're joining us now04/21/2026April 21, 2026What to know if you're joining us now
Roshni Majumdar EditorPresident Donald Trump said the US naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz will remain in place until Iran agrees to a peace deal.
The standoff over the crucial shipping route intensified over the weekend after US forces fired on and seized an Iranian vessel, with Tehran then refusing to accept diplomacy "under the shadow of threats."
There is no clarity on what happens next either since there is no public confirmation that Iran will take part in a second round of talks before the US ceasefire with Iran expires on Wednesday evening Washington time.
https://p.dw.com/p/5CbEhSkip next section EU looks at buying more aviation fuel from US as shortages loom04/21/2026April 21, 2026EU looks at buying more aviation fuel from US as shortages loom
European Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas said on Tuesday that the EU is considering importing US jet fuel grade Jet A — which is currently not approved by the bloc — to reduce its dependence on Middle East imports.
His remarks, made after a video conference of EU transport ministers on Tuesday, come a day before the European Commission is due to present a broader package of energy and transport measures.
It will give guidance on how to handle airport slots, anti-tankering, passenger rights and public service obligations if there are jet fuel shortages due to the Iran war.
Tzitzikostas, the commissioner for sustainable transport and tourism, said there were currently no shortages but that a continued blockade of the Strait of Hormuz would have "catastrophic" consequences.
The International Energy Agency and several airlines have warned that aviation fuel is likely to be in short supply in Europe within a few weeks.
https://p.dw.com/p/5CafkSkip next section Germany calls proposed suspension of EU-Israel cooperation deal 'inappropriate'04/21/2026April 21, 2026Germany calls proposed suspension of EU-Israel cooperation deal 'inappropriate'
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has rejected a proposal by Spain and Ireland to suspend the EU's cooperation deal with Israel amid growing anger over its attacks on Lebanon and the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Speaking at the start of a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg, Wadephul called the proposal "inappropriate."
"We have to talk with Israel about the critical issues," he said. "That has to be done in a critical, constructive dialogue with Israel. That is what we stand for."
A suspension of the entire cooperation agreement, as urged by Spain and Ireland, would require a unanimous vote by all 27 EU states, meaning the proposal would almost certainly not pass.
However, the part of the deal facilitating closer trade ties could theoretically be more easily suspended, as doing so would need support only from a weighted majority.
https://p.dw.com/p/5CaJxSkip next section Germany's Wadephul urges Iran to hold talks in Islamabad04/21/2026April 21, 2026Germany's Wadephul urges Iran to hold talks in Islamabad
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has called on Iran to hold constructive talks with the US in Islamabad, saying it was in the interests of its own people to do so.
"As we know, the US vice president is prepared to travel to Islamabad," Wadephul said ahead of a foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels on Tuesday.
"Iran should now take up this offer for the sake of its own people," he said.
Wadephul also criticized Iran's virtual blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, an important transit route for much of the world's gas and oil, and urged Iran to reopen the waterway without delay.
He said Europe stood ready to ensure security in the strait after the conflict had ended.
How Iran's Navy wields power in the Strait of Hormuz
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https://p.dw.com/p/5CZtYSkip next section Iranian state TV says no delegation has left for Islamabad yet04/21/2026April 21, 2026Iranian state TV says no delegation has left for Islamabad yet
Iranian state television on Tuesday showed an on-screen alert saying that "no delegation from Iran has visited Islamabad," dismissing reports to the contrary.
The alert came amid growing speculation as to whether Tehran will hold a second round of peace talks with Washington.
The US Navy's seizure of an Iranian container ship over the weekend is likely to have an impact on whether Iran decides to take part in talks or not, with hardliners calling for a harsh response.
So far, no official has acknowledged that a delegation will be heading to Pakistan.
Unresolved issues ahead of Iran-US peace talks in Islamabad
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