3 min readUpdated: Apr 22, 2026 05:06 PM IST
Mahdi Mohammadi, a senior adviser to Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, dismissed US President Donald Trump’s ceasefire extension as “meaningless” and a “potential ploy”.
He said the continuation of the siege was “no different from bombardment” and that it must be dealt with by a military response.
“Trump’s ceasefire extension means nothing. The losing side cannot dictate terms. The continuation of the siege is no different from bombardment and must be met with a military response,” the top Iranian leader said in a post on X.
“Moreover, Trump’s ceasefire extension is certainly a ploy to buy time for a surprise strike. The time for Iran to take the initiative has come,” he added.
Mohammadi’s remarks come after Trump announced that the United States would extend its two-week ceasefire with Iran, reversing earlier remarks that military action was imminent.
The US president stated that the ceasefire would continue until Iranian negotiators present a unified proposal.
“Based on the fact that the Government of Iran is seriously fractured … and upon the request of Field Marshal Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif … we have been asked to hold our attack,” he wrote on Truth Social.
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He added that the US military would maintain its blockade and “remain ready and able” while talks continue.
Iran ‘collapsing financially’: Trump
Later, the US president claimed that Iran was undergoing a severe financial crisis and that the country was
“collapsing financially”.
“Iran doesn’t want the Strait of Hormuz closed; they want it open so they can make $500 million a day,” he wrote.
“People approached me … saying, ‘Sir, Iran wants to open up the Strait, immediately,’” he added.
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Trump also linked the issue to the prospects of a deal, warning that reopening the waterway without broader agreement would undermine negotiations. “If we do that, there can never be a deal with Iran,” he said, adding that further escalation could follow if talks fail.
In another post, Trump said: “Iran is collapsing financially! They want the Strait of Hormuz opened immediately. Starving for cash! Losing 500 Million Dollars a day. Military and Police complaining that they are not getting paid. SOS!!!”
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