U.S. President Donald Trump announced on April 21 that the United States would extend the ceasefire with Iran until "[Iranian] leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal" and "discussions are concluded, one way or the other." Trump said his decision came at the request of Pakistan's Field Marshal Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, adding that Iran's government was "seriously fractured."

The United States had been pushing for a meeting with Iranian officials the week of April 20 to extend the ceasefire. However, Iranian officials reportedly rebuffed demands for talks over the fact that the United States was maintaining a blockade on Iran, which Trump said would continue in his April 21 announcement, and over Trump's threats to return to immediately bombing the country if there was no deal.