{"id":319122,"date":"2026-04-15T18:13:28","date_gmt":"2026-04-15T12:43:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/?p=319122"},"modified":"2026-04-15T18:13:28","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T12:43:28","slug":"mediators-working-to-increase-u-s-iran-ceasefire-officials-say-national","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/2026\/04\/15\/mediators-working-to-increase-u-s-iran-ceasefire-officials-say-national\/","title":{"rendered":"Mediators working to increase U.S.-Iran ceasefire, officials say – National"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Mediators moved closer Wednesday to extending the ceasefire between the USA and Iran and restarting negotiations to salvage the delicate truce before it expires next week.<\/p>\n

A senior Iranian military official threatened to halt trade within the region if the U.S. doesn’t lift its naval blockade, underscoring tensions which can be overshadowing the diplomacy.<\/p>\n

The U.S. blockade on Iranian ports and renewed Iranian threats have imperiled the week-old agreement, but regional officials said Wednesday they were making progress, telling The Associated Press that the USA and Iran had given an \u201cin principle agreement\u201d to increase it to permit for more diplomacy.<\/p>\n

The commander of Iran\u2019s joint military command warned Wednesday that Iran would completely block exports and imports across the Persian Gulf region, the Sea of Oman, and the Red Sea if the U.S. military doesn’t lift its blockade on Iranian ports.<\/p>\n

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\u201cIran will act with strength to defend its national sovereignty and its interests,\u201d said Ali Abdollahi, calling the blockade \u201ca prelude to violating the ceasefire.\u201d His comments were reported by Iranian state media.<\/p>\n

Before the two-week ceasefire expires on April 22, mediators are pushing for a compromise on three essential sticking points that derailed direct talks last weekend \u2014 Iran\u2019s nuclear program, the Strait of Hormuz and compensation for wartime damages \u2014 in accordance with one in every of the regional officials who’s involved in mediation efforts.<\/p>\n

Each officials spoke on condition of anonymity to debate the matter.<\/p>\n

World leaders including U.S. President Donald Trump and U.N. Secretary-General Ant\u00f3nio Guterres said on Tuesday that revived talks within the upcoming days were likely.<\/p>\n

The fighting has killed a minimum of 3,000 people in Iran, greater than 2,100 in Lebanon, 23 in Israel and greater than a dozen in Gulf Arab states. Thirteen U.S. service members have also been killed.<\/p>\n

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The war, now in its seventh week, has jolted markets and rattled the worldwide economy as shipping has been cut off and airstrikes have torn through military and civilian infrastructure across the region. Oil prices fell on hopes for an end to fighting on Wednesday, and U.S. stocks surged near records set in January.<\/p>\n

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Yet whether the delicate ceasefire would hold appeared increasingly uncertain because the U.S. pressed ahead with its blockade, which threatens to sever Iran from economic lifelines it has relied on because the war began nearly seven weeks ago.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI believe they have the desire to make a deal very badly,\u201d Trump said in an excerpt from an interview with Fox Business Network\u2019s \u201cMornings with Maria\u201d scheduled to air Wednesday morning. He added: \u201cI view it as very near over.\u201d<\/p>\n

A U.S. official said Tuesday that fresh talks with Iran were still under discussion and that nothing has been scheduled. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to debate sensitive negotiations.<\/p>\n

Muhammad Aurangzeb, Pakistan\u2019s finance minister, told The Associated Press that \u201cour leadership shouldn’t be giving up\u201d on efforts to assist the U.S. and Iran end the conflict.<\/p>\n

Trump on Wednesday claimed that China has agreed not to supply weapons to Iran as reports flow into that Beijing has considered transferring arms.<\/p>\n

Trump wrote in a social media post that China is \u201cvery completely satisfied that I’m permanently opening the Strait of Hormuz.\u201d He added: \u201cThey’ve agreed to not send weapons to Iran.\u201d He looked as if it would suggest the 2 are linked.<\/p>\n

China has long supported Iran\u2019s ballistic missile program and backed it with dual-use industrial components that might be used for missile production, in accordance with the U.S. government.<\/p>\n

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