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The United States and Iran have reportedly agreed to extend their 60-day ceasefire in the Middle East, according to sources cited by Al Arabiya English.
“Breaking: According to Al Arabiya English sources, an agreement has been reached to extend the 60-day ceasefire between the United States and Iran,” the outlet said on August 17.
However, neither the U.S. administration nor the Iranian government had confirmed or denied the report at the time of publication. Earlier, a senior Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran and Washington were not discussing an extension of the ceasefire and that Iran wanted Washington to return to the terms of the earlier interim agreement.
The original U.S.-Iran memorandum, signed in June, established a 60-day period for negotiations toward a broader settlement. It also included provisions concerning the Strait of Hormuz, sanctions and Iran’s nuclear program.
Iran prepares for renewed conflict
The possible extension comes amid reports that Iran has been preparing for the conflict to resume and potentially escalate.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Tehran has been strengthening the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ control over the regular military, appointing experienced veterans to key positions, expanding domestic counterintelligence operations and increasing the production of missiles and drones.
Iran has also sought to strengthen its control over the Strait of Hormuz by targeting ships and restricting maritime traffic.
The confrontation has effectively expanded toward the Red Sea, which Saudi Arabia has relied on to bypass restrictions on Persian Gulf shipping.
Gulf allies remain frustrated with Washington
The uncertainty surrounding the ceasefire has also fueled growing frustration among U.S. allies in the Gulf. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain have increasingly questioned Washington’s ability to use diplomacy to secure a lasting settlement with Iran.
The Trump administration has also discussed stronger measures over the Strait of Hormuz, while Iran continues to demand broader concessions from Washington in exchange for restoring unrestricted shipping.
At this stage, the reported ceasefire extension remains unconfirmed, and the future of the U.S.-Iran truce is still uncertain.
