As clouds of uncertainty continued in the Middle East, US President Donald Trump has said that there is "no time" pressure over ending the war with Iran. The development comes even as the Islamic Republic continues to insist that a complete ceasefire will eventually depend on the lifting Trump's naval blockade of Iran.
"There was ‘no time frame’ and no rush," Trump said in an interview with Martha MacCallum of Fox News. "People say I want to get it over because of the midterms, not true."
Trump's clarification comes after several reports claimed that the ceasefire is just a short-term extension. Although the White House had clarified that no deadline has been set by which Iran must submit a peace proposal.
"The president has not set a firm deadline to receive an Iranian proposal, unlike some of the reporting I've seen today. Ultimately, the timeline will be dictated by the commander in chief," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Wednesday.
Iran's naval blockade
Even though Trump has extended the ceasefire, the US military has continued the naval blockade of Iran, a move that has been repeatedly criticised by Tehran. The US is also preparing to clean the mines in the Strait of Hormuz, but as per a report by the Associated Press (AP), it will likely take months to clear the critical waterway through which nearly a fifth of global crude passes through.
Quoting a person familiar with the development, the AP said the US military will take at least six months to clear the mines. The lawmakers were also briefed about it during a classified briefing at the House Armed Services Committee on Tuesday, the report stated.
Iran seizes two ships
Amid this, Iran has also seized two ships, but the White House has said that it doesn't violate ceasefire terms because these vessels were neither American, nor Israeli. Speaking to Fox News, Leavitt also reiterated that Iran's navy has been 'decimated' and the Islamic Republic seized the ships via 'speedy gun boats'.
Likening Iran with a "bunch of pirates", the White House press secretary said Trump's naval blockade continues on ships that are coming in and going to Iranian ports.
