Trump extends Iran ceasefire: can a deal be made? – The Latest
episodePreviously titled “Trump extends Iran ceasefire – can a deal be made? – The Latest” — renamed by the publisher on Aug 2, 2026
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What are the implications of Trump's indefinite ceasefire extension with Iran?
This is The Guardian.
It is significant they're now starting to seize ships because they need to ram home to the Americans that they feel they're winning this war or at least they're not losing this war.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard says it is back on the attack in the Strait of Hormuz, facing a blockade from the Americans. They have attacked three cargo ships this morning.
We're in a very difficult position where neither side wants to back down, but neither side really wants to go for all-out war. There is a real conflict going on in the Strait, and how that plays out is going to be critical to whether the talks recommend it.
Iran says it seized two ships in the Strait of Hormuz and a third has reportedly been attacked after Donald Trump extends the ceasefire indefinitely. From The Guardian's Today In Focus, this is The Latest with me, Lucy Harth. Well, I'm joined by Patrick Wintour, our diplomatic editor. Thanks for dialing in, Patrick. So it's been yet another slightly confusing week. There was supposed to be a ceasefire that was due to expire at 8pm Eastern Standard Time in the US tonight, according to Pakistan. But Trump has now, late last night, extended the ceasefire indefinitely. Prior to that, he threatened yet more bombing, more military violence. Why the U-turn?
How is Iran responding to the US blockade and ceasefire talks?
What's going on? Is this pressure from Pakistan? Is it the markets? Or is there something else kind of behind the scenes?
Well, I mean, such as the confusion is that people couldn't actually agree at the point at which the ceasefire was supposed to expire. People had different timelines for it. I think it's a multiplicity of reasons why he's decided to do this. And it's not the first time he's delayed some kind of deadline or other. But I think it's a mixture of he actually doesn't really want to return to a full-scale conflict. I mean, he was talking about bombing every bridge, every power station, and it was all back to the Stone Ages, part seven. And actually, the reality is that I think he's realised that the price of full-scale aerial action that he's undertaken in the past is too high and he wants to find a peace settlement.
So he's slightly switching mode and trying to think about different ways to put pressure on the Iranians. And I think also there is more and more evidence about what's going to happen in the midterm elections. I know this will seem a long way away, but it's starting to bake in a bit about how many seats they might lose in the Senate and how many they might lose in the Congress.
What factors influenced Trump's decision to extend the ceasefire?
And that would be... If it was as bad as some people are predicting, that would be the effective end of his presidency.
Goodness, what a thought. And in no small part, and in fact, probably mainly to do with this war in Iran, which has so little support from the American public and that opposition increasing. Meanwhile, the situation in the Strait of Hormuz is very febrile, very volatile. When we last spoke, Trump had imposed this US blockade on Iranian ports to prevent those Iranian ships leaving, or at least monitor them. There's now been the seizure of two ships, allegedly by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, the IRGC. A third ship has been attacked this morning, reportedly, we understand. So what's going on? I mean, this doesn't feel like fertile ground for ceasefire negotiations.
Yes, I mean, I think the ghastly phrase, the kinetic activity has switched from land to sea, and there are these two different blockades, one laid over the other. There's the US blockade on Iranian ports, and the purpose behind that is to, in effect, make it impossible for Iran to continue to produce oil within a matter of a fortnight, it's been estimated today. If they can't get their oil out, then the oil production will have to come to a halt. And that could cause some permanent damage to some of the oil installations in Iran.
What is the current situation in the Strait of Hormuz?
So they lose revenue and their industry, which is the most important revenue generating industry, gets crippled. I mean, that's the American plan and obviously the Iranian plan, which they're stepping up by now.
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Chapters
7 chapters
1
What are the implications of Trump's indefinite ceasefire extension with Iran?
0:00–1:29
2
How is Iran responding to the US blockade and ceasefire talks?
1:29–2:36
3
What factors influenced Trump's decision to extend the ceasefire?
2:36–4:06
4
What is the current situation in the Strait of Hormuz?
4:06–6:15
5
How does the US blockade affect Iran's oil production?
6:15–7:53
6
What are the challenges facing peace negotiations between the US and Iran?
7:53–9:41
7
What is the human cost of the ongoing conflict for Iranians?
9:41–10:30