Trump says Iran ceasefire extension and Hormuz reopening could be reached next week

Donald Trump has said the United States could reach an agreement next week to extend the ceasefire with Iran and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. He made the remarks in an interview, saying talks with Tehran were moving at a fast pace. The comments come as tensions linked to exchanges involving Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon have complicated the wider diplomatic effort.

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Trump said he had intervened directly after Iran threatened to suspend negotiations because of recent attacks between Israel and Hezbollah. He said he spoke to Benjamin Netanyahu and to Hezbollah, telling both sides not to fire, and said the shooting stopped. According to the Iranian side, any truce depends on an effective ceasefire in Lebanon.

Iran has also accused the United States of violating the ceasefire already in place since 7 April. The immediate dispute remains tied to the nuclear issue, with Washington demanding that Tehran commit never to develop nuclear weapons. The Iranian side says that question is not on the table in the way the United States wants.

The Strait of Hormuz also remains closed to navigation, according to the supplied material, and that keeps pressure on energy markets because the waterway carries a large share of global oil flows. The talks therefore have both security and economic significance. The exchange also shows how the negotiations are being shaped by events beyond the bilateral U.S.-Iran track.

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Lebanon has become part of the discussion because Iran has linked any truce to a halt in fighting there. That makes the role of Hezbollah central, alongside Israel and the United States, in determining whether the wider ceasefire can hold. The situation is significant because any change in the status of Hormuz would affect international shipping and oil supply.

The supplied material says Iran and the United States have been under a ceasefire since 7 April, but that the two sides have still traded limited attacks in recent weeks. It also says the Iranian foreign ministry spokesman, Esmaeil Baghaei, has warned that Tehran will take any measures it considers necessary to defend national security. Trump's comments suggest the talks are still active despite the recent setback.

They also indicate that the next phase may depend on whether the Lebanon front remains quiet. What remains unclear is whether the reported progress will produce a formal agreement next week, and whether the Strait of Hormuz will in fact reopen. It is also not clear how far the parties have narrowed their differences over the nuclear programme.

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