Fmr. Bush Deputy NatSec Advisor on Trump's Iran Ceasefire Extension

President Donald Trump announced he was extending a ceasefire with Iran indefinitely a day before it was set to expire, even as plans for a fresh round of talks between the two countries fell apart. In a Truth Social post, Trump said Tuesday he would maintain a blockade over ships coming to and from Iran in the Strait of Hormuz. He said Pakistan, which had mediated between the two sides, asked for the US to hold off on fresh strikes and he was extending the ceasefire until Iran submits a new proposal “and discussions are concluded, one way or the other.” Vice President JD Vance had been due to travel to Pakistan to resume talks with Iran, but representatives from Tehran refused to attend, citing what they said were unreasonable US demands. Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency said that there is currently no prospect of Iran participating in negotiations.  A White House official confirmed in a statement that the vice president’s trip would not take place on Tuesday. Ambassador James F. Jeffrey, Philip Solondz Distinguished Fellow at The Washington Institute and former Deputy National Security Advisor to President George W. Bush, joins Bloomberg Businessweek Daily to discuss. He speaks with Carol Massar and Tim Stenovec. Iranian gunboats fired on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday as Tehran maintained its grip on the vital energy channel, while two of its own oil supertankers tested a US blockade.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations, a naval liaison with the shipping industry, said on X that a cargo ship and a container ship came under fire in the waterway. Meanwhile, analytics firm Vortexa said Iran moved supertankers into the Arabian Sea, an area where the US has sought to block Iranian shipping. ranian state TV reported later that the country’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had seized two ships — identified as the MSC Francesca and Epaminondas — in Hormuz and brought them to shore for inspection. The Wall Street Journal reported that both came under attack, as well as a third, the Euphoria.

The managers of all three vessels, as listed on the Equasis international shipping database, either didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

The moves underscore Tehran’s aggressive stance in the face of US pressure at a time when talks between the two sides are in limbo. They also demonstrate the challenges of resolving a conflict that has eliminated a billion barrels of oil supply, according to top traders.

Two Supertankers

The supertankers that moved into the Arabian Sea were identified as the Hero II and Hedy. Vortexa used satellite imagery to hone in on the two Iran-flagged, very large crude carriers that it said entered area on April 20. The pair can together carry as much as 4 million barrels of oil.

Another Iranian VLCC, the Diona, appeared to turn back after entering the Arabian Sea from Hormuz, TankerTrackers.com co-founder Samir Madani said. Iran shut Hormuz shortly after coming under attack from the US and Israel at the end of February.

The latest incidents demonstrate that, while US President Donald Trump has said that Iran’s navy has been destroyed, Tehran’s deployment of small boats to target commercial shipping remains a terrifying prospect.

The container ship was attacked at 2:55 a.m. London time, and sustained heavy damage to its bridge, the UKMTO said. The cargo ship wasn’t damaged but came to a stop after being fired upon about three hours later, UKMTO reported.

It wasn’t immediately clear if the attacks were on the same vessels as those that Iranian media subsequently said were seized.

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