Karoline Leavitt makes stunning concession on Iran ceasefire amid pressure on Trump to strike peace deal
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday that Iran’s seizure of the two ships does not violate its agreement with the United States.
Iran seized Panama-flagged MSC Francesca and Liberian-registered Epaminodes after opening fire on them. Iran also hit a ship called Euphoria.
Leavitt said Wednesday that Iran’s firing on three ships and seizing two of them did not violate the country’s ceasefire agreement with the United States.
‘These were not US ships. These were not Israeli ships. Leavitt said these were two international ships.
‘These two ships were captured by fast attack boats. “Iran has gone from having the deadliest navy in the Middle East to acting like a group of pirates,” said Leavitt, reiterating that Iran has no control over the Strait of Hormuz.
The announcement came after the President extended the ceasefire with Iran on Tuesday, the latest in a series of delays as he tries to keep talks alive.
The president first announced a cessation of hostilities on March 23. Leavitt said the new extension would be indefinite until Trump decides otherwise.
‘The president has not set a firm deadline for receiving Iran’s offer,’ he continued, adding: ‘Ultimately the timeline will be determined by the commander in chief.’
“The President has not set a firm deadline to receive Iran’s offer,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement on Wednesday regarding Trump’s announcement Wednesday evening that he would extend the ceasefire.
Leavitt added that the US blockade of Iran caused the Islamic Republic to lose 500 million dollars a day.
Trump initially said the war would last six weeks. However, the conflict has continued for seven weeks and four days
He said reports that the ceasefire extension would take three to five days were ‘incorrect’.
The open-ended time frame for Iran to return to the negotiating table comes after Vice President J.D. Vance canceled a trip to Islamabad, Pakistan, this week for a new round of talks, the Associated Press reported.
But that trip has yet to materialize, and Vance has remained close to the West Wing as the administration charts its path forward.
While Leavitt called the final phase of Operation Epic Rage ‘Operation Economic Rage’, he drew attention to the devastating effects of the US blockade on Iran.
He claimed that the Islamic Republic was losing $500 million a day due to the blockade, which prevented profitable oil exports.
“There is a ceasefire on military and kinetic attacks, but Operation Economic Rage continues, and the effective and successful naval blockade continues,” a White House spokesman said.
He also confirmed reports that the government was strapped for cash and ‘they can’t even pay their own people as a result of this economic influence that President Trump is exerting on them.’
Reports indicate that Iranian military officials and police are experiencing significant pay cuts.
After the ceasefire, US kinetic attacks against Iran were stopped
US forces maintain a blockade to restrict imports and exports to and from Iran
Leavitt reiterated that the prominent demands of the United States revolve around Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
He said the two main sticking points that broke the deal between Iran and the United States were the Islamic Republic’s reluctance to abandon its pursuit of nuclear weapons and its hesitancy to hand over its stockpile of enriched uranium.
The spokesman said the administration expects a “unified” proposal from the Iranians, and that there are separate dueling groups that disagree internally over demands that the United States comply.
The president had previously threatened to restart the war if Iran failed to reach a deal by 20:00 ET (01:00 BST) on Wednesday.
Trump wrote on social media on Wednesday that “based on the fact that the Iranian government is severely divided,” the US military would delay the attack “until its leaders and representatives put forward a unified proposal.”
“That is why I have instructed our Military to maintain the blockade and remain ready and capable in all other respects, and that is why I will extend the Armistice until proposals are presented and discussions are concluded one way or another,” Trump said.
