Iran's semiofficial Tasnim News Agency on Wednesday forcefully rejected claims attributed to President Donald Trump that Tehran had sought an extension of a ceasefire agreement, publishing a detailed report asserting that no such request had been made.
The move directly challenges a Tuesday post by Trump on Truth Social in which he announced an indefinite extension of hostilities' pause.
In the post, Trump stated that the ceasefire extension was enacted at the request of Pakistani leadership, including Field Marshal Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and justified the move by claiming Iran's government was "seriously fractured," adding that U.S. military forces would maintain a naval blockade while remaining prepared for further action pending a unified Iranian proposal.
Tasnim, citing information gathered from multiple sources, countered that Iran had neither requested nor supported any extension of the ceasefire, framing Trump's statement as misleading — though Trump never claimed Iran had requested the extension.
Tasnim offered several interpretations of what it described as Washington's unilateral declaration.
According to the agency's analysis, one possible explanation is that the United States has effectively reached the limits of its military strategy, with Trump recognizing that continued conflict would yield no tangible gains and therefore seeking a face-saving exit through the language of ceasefire extension.
A second interpretation presented by Tasnim suggests that the ceasefire announcement could serve as a tactical deception, warning that despite public claims of de-escalation, the United States or its regional ally Israel could still undertake hostile actions, a scenario Iranian officials are reportedly monitoring closely.
The report also raised the possibility that Washington may attempt to disengage from direct conflict while leaving Israel involved, potentially under the pretext of alleged ceasefire violations in Lebanon.
Tasnim further emphasized that the continuation of a U.S. naval blockade would itself constitute an ongoing act of hostility, stating that Iran would not reopen the strategically critical Strait of Hormuz under such conditions.
Iran, the agency said, would take forceful measures if necessary to break the blockade.
Another interpretation advanced by the agency is that the United States aims to maintain a prolonged atmosphere of instability around Iran, keeping economic and political conditions under pressure.
In a separate but related report, Tasnim also confirmed that Iran has finalized a decision not to participate in planned negotiations in Islamabad, contradicting earlier speculation and signaling a deepening impasse in diplomatic efforts.
Sources cited by the agency said Iran had initially agreed to a ceasefire and subsequent talks based on a 10-point framework that had reportedly been accepted by the United States through Pakistani mediation.
Tasnim claimed Washington soon began violating the terms, including failing to enforce a ceasefire involving Israel in Lebanon.
The report added that during the first round of negotiations in Islamabad, U.S. representatives introduced what Iran viewed as excessive demands that deviated from the agreed framework, resulting in a complete deadlock and undermining prospects for progress.
Following those developments, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reportedly indicated Tehran's willingness to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping under the original ceasefire framework, but this step was quickly overshadowed by continued U.S. enforcement of the naval blockade.
The agency concluded that ongoing communications between the two sides have failed to yield meaningful progress, with U.S. demands remaining unchanged and, in Iran's view, incompatible with its national interests and sovereignty.
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