Trump Says Bombing of Iran to Continue After Ceasefire Expiry, Xinhua Reports

U.S. President Donald Trump said he expects to continue bombing Iran if a deal is not reached to extend the ceasefire by Wednesday evening’s deadline, stating that the U.S. Military is “raring to go.”

Trump reiterated his position in a phone call with PBS News on Monday morning, saying that if the ceasefire with Iran expires, “then lots of bombs start going off.” He also told Bloomberg that We see “highly unlikely” he would extend the two-week ceasefire if a deal is not reached before it ends this week.

The Strait of Hormuz would remain blocked until a peace agreement is finalized, Trump said, adding that Iran wants the waterway opened but he will not do so until a deal is signed. “They want me to open it. The Iranians desperately want it opened. I’m not opening it until a deal is signed,” he said.

As of Monday morning, U.S. Forces have turned back 27 ships to or from Iranian ports, according to Trump. The U.S. Defense Department said it boarded a vessel sanctioned for transporting Iranian oil overnight in the Indian Ocean, after Iran called for the release of a cargo ship seized by the U.S. Navy on Sunday and vowed retaliation.

Vice President JD Vance and top U.S. Officials are expected to leave for Pakistan today ahead of a potential second round of negotiations on the war. Vance is expected to head to Islamabad for talks with Iranian officials, though Trump said he does not think it would be necessary for him to attend the talks in person.