Trump Says Ceasefire May Not Be Extended If Peace Deal Is Not Reached by the 22nd
- Input
- 2026-04-18 13:09:25
- Updated
- 2026-04-18 13:09:25

[Financial News] On the 17th local time, U.S. President Donald John Trump said that if a peace agreement with Iran is not reached by the 22nd, he may not extend the ceasefire.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on his way back to Washington, D.C. from Phoenix, Arizona, Trump said, "We probably will not extend the ceasefire, but we will continue to maintain the blockade."
He also suggested the possibility of resuming attacks on Iran, saying, "If the blockade is maintained, unfortunately, we will have to drop bombs again."
He also expressed confidence in the talks, telling reporters, "There was some pretty good news 20 minutes ago," and adding, "It looks like things are going well with Iran in the Middle East."
Without specifying what the good news was, Trump only said, "You will hear soon." He added, "This is how it should be. We will see what happens, but I think that is how it will turn out."
Earlier, in a phone interview with Axios, Trump had expressed confidence that a deal could be finalized with Iran soon, saying, "I expect to reach an agreement within a day or two."
The United States and Iran have been negotiating a peace agreement with a deadline of the 21st after accepting a two-week ceasefire proposal put forward by Pakistan on the 7th.
It is unclear whether Trump’s reference to the deadline as the 22nd, rather than the 21st, means the ceasefire period is one day longer than previously known or whether he simply misspoke.
Meanwhile, Trump said on Truth Social that Xi Jinping, President of China, was also pleased with Iran’s announcement that the Strait of Hormuz had been temporarily opened.
Trump said, "President Xi is very pleased that the Strait of Hormuz has been opened, or is being opened quickly," adding, "Our talks in China will be extraordinary and potentially historic."
mkchang@fnnews.com Jang Min-kwon Reporter