President Donald Trump extended his self-imposed deadline Tuesday for when the United States would resume attacks on Iran, claiming that his decision was made “based on the fact” that Iran’s government was “seriously fractured” – a remark that one senior Iranian official mocked as a “desperate attempt to save face.”
Trump has extended his own deadlines several times amid the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, despite calling at least one of them “final.” His justifications for extending his own deadlines have varied, but often involved claims about Iranian officials that Tehran would immediately refute.
On Trump’s latest deadline extension, the president said the fracturing of Iran’s government was a key component in his decision, but as has happened over the past 54 days since the war began, an Iranian official immediately refuted the claim.
“[A senior] Iranian official dismissed Trump’s claims that Iran’s leadership was in disarray, characterizing it as a desperate attempt by Trump to save face after his recent false claims, including that Iran had offered him sweeping concessions,” wrote Drop Site News’ Jeremy Scahill, citing an Iranian official who spoke with the outlet on the condition of anonymity for its report published on Wednesday.
After one round of failed peace talks between Washington and Tehran, Trump claimed on Tuesday that Vice President JD Vance and a U.S. delegation were already on the way to Pakistan for a second round of talks. However, subsequent reporting revealed that Vance had yet to leave Washington by midday, with Tehran having yet to commit to participating.
Trump has continued to insist that the second round of peace talks will take place, and without lifting his administration’s naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. An Iranian official, however, once again refuted Trump’s claim.
“The Pakistani side indicated that they expect Trump to lift the naval blockade of Iran,” the same Iranian official told Drop Site News. “If that happens, and the ceasefire is extended, a new round of talks will be held on Thursday.”