By Laurence Norman
Despite his warning earlier that he didn't want to extend the cease-fire, President Trump did just that on Tuesday evening, the latest sign he doesn't want to see the fighting with Iran resume.
Iranian officials continue to warn that they are ready to resume fighting if necessary, and have not yet confirmed that they accept a cease-fire extension. But Tehran has also opted for diplomacy over the past two weeks, even while demanding that the U.S. must dismantle its blockade on Iranian ports.
As long as both sides steer clear of escalation, that leaves two effective choices. Iran and the U.S. can let their respective blockades play out-the U.S.'s on Iranian ports and Iran's over the Strait of Hormuz. However, both stand to lose economically from a protracted standoff, and accidents can spiral out of control when vessels are being stopped and boarded.
The alternative is to find a quiet, diplomatic and possibly temporary solution to the U.S. blockade issue-and go back to talks in the next few days.
This item is part of a Wall Street Journal live coverage event. The full stream can be found by searching P/WSJL (WSJ Live Coverage).
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
April 21, 2026 17:23 ET (21:23 GMT)
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