U.S. Extends Ceasefire: Lifting Blockades on Strait is Urgent for Negotiations

Editorial

15:31 JST, April 23, 2026

The two-week ceasefire agreed upon by the United States and Iran has been extended. While it was appropriate for the United States to refrain from resuming hostilities, there is no clear path forward for negotiations with Iran, and the situation seems to be in a deadlock.

Both countries must stop engaging in unproductive maneuvering, lift the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and work toward the complete cessation of hostilities through negotiations.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced the extension of the ceasefire shortly before the deadline and did not specify a new deadline. The two countries had agreed to a ceasefire on April 7, with the deadline set for April 22.

After the ceasefire took effect, the two countries held their first face-to-face talks in Islamabad, the capital of mediating nation Pakistan. However, they were unable to bridge their differences regarding the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear development program, among other issues.

Trump had demanded renewed negotiations during the ceasefire and had explicitly stated that if Iran did not comply, he would resume attacks without extending the ceasefire. However, he reversed his position at the last minute.

If Trump truly believed that threatening Iran would make it yield, that was a complete miscalculation. It is time for Trump to shift his focus from an all-out campaign of pressure to negotiations in order to break the deadlock.

Meanwhile, Iran has criticized the extension of the ceasefire as a stalling tactic to prepare for a surprise attack, expressing its distrust of the United States. However, the disparity in military strength between Iran and the United States is stark, and Iran’s ability to continue fighting is limited. Tehran should first return to the negotiating table.

What is preventing the resumption of U.S.-Iran talks is the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz by both countries.

Iran claims that the strait is within its territorial waters, over which it exercises sovereignty, and that it has the right to restrict the passage of tankers and other vessels. In response, the United States has begun an effective blockade of the strait, targeting ships entering and leaving Iranian ports.

The Strait of Hormuz is an international waterway through which all vessels may navigate without prior permission or notification. Neither the United States nor Iran is permitted under international law to exercise unilateral control over it.

Nevertheless, a U.S. Marine Corps inspection team seized an Iranian cargo ship that was traveling back and forth between China and Iran. In addition to raising issues under international law, this is a dangerous act that could escalate into an accidental clash with Iran.

Lifting the blockade of the strait and restoring safe navigation are also essential to stemming the negative impact on the global economy.

The United Kingdom, France and other like-minded nations are preparing to carry out missions, such as dispatching naval vessels, to ensure the security of the strait. Since this is an issue for the international community as a whole, a response from the United Nations is urgently needed. In particular, China, which has close ties with Iran, has a necessary role.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, April 23, 2026)