US and Iran Consider Extending Two-Week Ceasefire by Another Fortnight Amid Push for Peace Deal

Mediators are making fresh efforts to extend the fragile US-Iran ceasefire by an additional two weeks, aiming to buy more time for negotiations toward a lasting peace agreement in the seven-week-old conflict, officials and diplomats said Wednesday.

The current two-week truce, which took effect on April 8 following direct talks mediated by Pakistan in Islamabad, is set to expire on April 22. Regional officials told The Associated Press that Washington and Tehran have reached an “in principle agreement” to prolong the pause to allow further diplomacy, despite ongoing tensions from the US naval blockade of Iranian ports.

Pakistan has taken a leading role in the mediation. On Wednesday, Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, arrived in Tehran with a high-level delegation to discuss easing tensions and arranging a second round of US-Iran talks. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is also engaging regional partners, including a visit to Saudi Arabia.

US President Donald Trump expressed optimism about the prospects for peace. “I think they want to make a deal very badly,” Trump said in an interview excerpt aired Wednesday. “I view it as very close to over.” He indicated that fresh talks could resume in Pakistan in the coming days.

However, a senior US official cautioned that no formal extension has been agreed upon, stressing that “engagement” between the two sides continues. Sticking points remain, including Iran’s nuclear program, freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, and compensation for damages from the war.

Iran has signaled openness to discussions on uranium enrichment levels while insisting on its right to continue the program based on national needs. Meanwhile, Iranian officials have threatened to disrupt regional trade if the US blockade persists.

The conflict has caused thousands of deaths across Iran, Lebanon, Israel, and Gulf states, and disrupted global shipping and energy markets. Oil prices fell and US stocks rose Wednesday on hopes of a diplomatic breakthrough.

Both sides have described the current ceasefire as holding, though strained by the ongoing blockade and mutual accusations. Diplomats say the coming days will be decisive in determining whether the truce can be extended and negotiations advanced toward a broader agreement.