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US, Iran signal war readiness as ceasefire deadline looms
"We do not accept negotiations under the shadow of threats," said Iran's top negotiator, as a two-week ceasefire nears its expiration.
Commuters drive past a giant billboard referring to the "Strait of Hormuz" along a busy street in Tehran on Apr 19, 2026. (Photo: AP/Vahid Salemi)
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The United States and Iran both signalled that they were ready for war as a fragile ceasefire teeters, with peace talks still uncertain after the US seized an Iranian cargo ship that tried to run its blockade.
Washington said Vice President JD Vance was set to return to Islamabad for negotiations, but Tehran would not confirm its attendance, raising doubts over whether diplomacy can resume.
Both sides accused each other of violating the truce, with Iran vowing that it would not "accept negotiations under the shadow of threats".
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards threatened to target vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz - a critical artery for global oil supplies - without permission, while US President Donald Trump accused Iran of harassing shipping.
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