The White House stated that President Trump extended the ceasefire, asserting that Iran needs to take appropriate actions.
The U.S. Embassy in Beirut has advised American citizens to depart Lebanon via commercial flights while they are still available. There are concerns that a ceasefire may be collapsing.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) reported that U.S. forces have intercepted and turned back 29 vessels attempting to evade the Iran blockade; Hero II and Hedy are currently anchored in Chah Bahar after interception, while Dorena is under escort by the U.S. Navy in the Indian Ocean.
U.S. forces have directed 29 vessels to turn around or return to port as part of the U.S. blockade against Iran over the past 24 hours. The U.S. military has clarified that reports of commercial ships evading the blockade are inaccurate, with vessels like M/V Hero II, M/V Hedy, and M/V Dorena either intercepted or under escort by U.S. Navy ships.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly and Iran's senior negotiator, declared on X that reopening the Strait of Hormuz is impossible due to the U.S. military's naval blockade and recent attacks by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on foreign ships in the strait. Meanwhile, Iran did not participate in scheduled negotiations in Pakistan before the two-week ceasefire expired, prompting U.S. President Donald Trump to extend the ceasefire, giving Iran more time to present a unified proposal.
On Friday, former U.S. President Trump posted claims that Iran had agreed to significant concessions including handing over all nuclear material and ending its nuclear program, but Iran did not attend the talks and denied making any such agreements. The accuracy of the information behind these claims remains unclear.
According to U.S. intelligence sources reported by CBS, Iran maintains more military capability than previously known, with approximately half of its ballistic missiles and launchers remaining intact and around 60% of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) naval forces still operational.
Masoud Pezeshkian, writing on X, stated that the Islamic Republic welcomes dialogue and continues to do so, while also asserting that bad faith, sieges, and threats hinder genuine negotiations. Gholamhossein Eliasi (likely a reference to Mohammad Gholi Gholi Qalibaf), earlier called for a complete ceasefire contingent upon the end of economic violations through maritime sieges, hostage-taking, and Israel's warmongering activities.
A senior U.S. official told News 12 that Iran is experiencing a significant divide between its negotiators and the army and Revolutionary Guards, indicating internal strife within the country's leadership.
Israeli officials have warned that the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon could collapse at any moment, according to YNET.
Reports indicate that a second round of negotiations may take place on Saturday, with former US President Donald Trump setting a deadline of three to five days for Tehran to reach a conclusion. Meanwhile, Tasnim, a media outlet affiliated with the IRGC, reports that Tehran has no current plans to engage in negotiations.
![@ايران اينترنشنال: U.S. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham announced in a conversation with Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth about the path forward regarding the [Iranian regime] that he supports Washington's decision to co](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpub-4357b54df55146feb8261be683c32511.r2.dev%2Fthumbnails%2F1776881750744-40e60ce1f00a5f1a-HGh0QN7XEAAPjkd.webp&w=3840&q=75)
U.S. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham announced his support for Washington's decision to continue the economic siege on the Iranian regime, describing it as "very smart" and predicting it will expand globally until the regime changes its behavior. Graham warned countries involved in transporting Iranian oil of the risks and praised former President Trump and his team for creating the "best opportunity since 1979" to alter the regime's actions through diplomacy.
On January 8, agents of the Islamic Republic shot and killed Mohammad Jabbari, a 26-year-old resident of Dizicheh in Isfahan province. Additionally, a Basiji and three other individuals—Mehdi Nouri, Hajjat Maleki, and Alireza Kharbou—were killed in the same incident.
The Tasnim News Agency, affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, reported that in Islamabad negotiations, the Iranian delegation excluded nuclear matters and the head of the Atomic Energy Organization, focusing instead on political, military, economic, and legal issues. The American side proposed suspending enrichment, but the Iranian team did not address this proposal.
Members of the Imam Ali battalions of the Basij paramilitary forces, part of the IRGC, are accused of murdering over 42,000 Iranian protesters in January 2026 while suppressing anti-regime demonstrations. These forces are now operating in civilian clothing.
Pakistan is pushing to restart U.S.-Iran talks despite Iran's seizure of two cargo ships in the Strait of Hormuz; PM Sharif met with Iran's ambassador on Wednesday, and a second round of negotiations could occur within days, officials say.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the Speaker of Parliament, wrote on X that a complete ceasefire is only valid if it is not breached by a naval blockade, economic hostage-taking, or Israeli aggression, and emphasized that reopening the Strait of Hormuz is impossible under current violations of the ceasefire. He also stated that military aggression and bullying will not achieve their goals, and the only solution is to accept the rights of the Iranian nation.
Greek Foreign Minister to CNN: A Greek-owned cargo ship under the Liberian flag was attacked near the Strait of Hormuz, and it is not yet clear if the Iranians seized the vessel.
President Donald J. Trump announced that eight women protestors in Iran, who were scheduled for execution, will not be killed. Four of the women will be released immediately, while the other four will serve one month in prison.
In a show of force, 37 fast boats and fast attack craft of Iran’s IRGC Navy operated east of the Strait of Hormuz on December 14, 2025, demonstrating their capability to threaten maritime traffic in the region. The vessels, equipped with anti-ship missiles, were spotted approximately 60 km southeast of Bandar Abbas.
