Israel-Lebanon ceasefire extended by 3 weeks, Trump in no rush on Iran deal

US President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire would be extended by three weeks, while emphasizing that the US is in no rush to end the war with Iran. The announcement came as a third US aircraft carrier arrived in the Middle East.

The ceasefire extension followed the second round of ambassador-level talks between Israel and Lebanon, held in Washington, D.C. on Thursday afternoon.

Regarding the ongoing conflict with Iran, Trump told reporters at the White House, "I don't want to rush myself," adding that US citizens might expect higher prices, but the ultimate payoff would be "Iran without a nuclear weapon."

Trump asserted that any peace deal with Iran would be based on US terms and his own timeline. "A deal will only be made when it's appropriate and beneficial for the United States, our allies, and, in fact, the rest of the world," he wrote on Truth Social.

So far, another round of peace talks in Pakistan remains uncertain, with few signs of a return to diplomacy to resolve the standoff in the Strait of Hormuz.

On Thursday, Trump ruled out the use of nuclear weapons against Iran but revealed he had ordered the US Navy to destroy any Iranian boats caught laying mines in the strait. He also claimed, without evidence, that the US had "total control" over the strait.

Separately, the USS George H.W. Bush aircraft carrier arrived in the Middle East, bringing the total number of American carriers operating in the region to three.

Additionally, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated on Thursday that Israel was "prepared to resume the war against Iran," adding that the country was awaiting a green light from the US to return Iran to "the Stone Age."

Defiant Iran

On Wednesday night, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf condemned what he called US violations of the ceasefire through a naval blockade and ongoing Israeli actions in a post on X. He stressed that pressure and coercion would not yield results, asserting that the only solution lies in recognizing the rights of the Iranian nation.

"A full ceasefire is meaningful only when it is not violated by a naval blockade or the hostage-taking of the global economy, and when Zionist warmongering on all fronts is halted," Qalibaf stated. "Reopening the Strait of Hormuz is not possible amid a blatant violation of the ceasefire," he warned.

Meanwhile, both Qalibaf and Iran's president, Masoud Pezeshkian, emphasized national unity on Thursday, vowing retaliation against any "aggressor" amid escalating regional tensions. In a joint statement, they stressed, "With ironclad unity of nation and state and obedience to the Supreme Leader, we will make the aggressor regret its actions."

These comments were a response to Trump's assertion that Iran's leadership is "seriously fractured," which was made while announcing the ceasefire extension.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei praised the unity of the Iranian nation, noting its significant impact on the enemy and calling for even greater national cohesion.

In addition, anonymous Iranian sources told CMG that Iran has developed a target list in response to potential military action by the US and its allies, based on the principles of "reciprocal response" and "offensive deterrence." For instance, if Iran's oil and gas facilities are attacked, it plans to retaliate by targeting key oil and gas facilities of Israel and US allies, aiming to reduce global oil production by 25 million barrels per day within a year.

Is strategic deadlock the new normal?

Despite setbacks in diplomacy and a lack of trust in negotiations, experts believe that both the US and Iran see the current situation as favorable and acceptable. And given their core differences and the strategic rivalry between them, the prospects for meaningful negotiations remain bleak.

Wang Jin, director of the Center for Strategic Studies at Northwest University in China, told CMG that while the deadlock is seen as a victory for the US, giving it the upper hand in its rivalry with Iran, Iran believes it has successfully weathered joint US and Israeli pressure. The Iranian government continues to function as usual, domestic politics remain stable, and Iran has even exerted significant reverse pressure on the US through the Strait of Hormuz issue.

Therefore, Wang said, both the US and Iran view the current situation as favorable and acceptable to themselves.

Li Zixin, assistant researcher at the China Institute of International Studies, told CMG that the US-Iran maritime rivalry is essentially a confrontation of blockades, with the core issue being control over the Strait of Hormuz and the authority to set the rules.

Looking ahead, it is highly likely that the US and Iran will maintain a "mutual understanding" to preserve the ceasefire: neither side will initiate large-scale military actions, nor will they abandon their deterrence and blockade strategies against each other, Wang said, adding that a strategic deadlock may become the new normal.

(With input from agencies)