Iran has rejected attending talks in Pakistan, the semi-official Tasnim News Agency is reporting.

The semi-official news agency said the decision came after the US did not back down from their “excessive demands” in recent days.

“For this reason, Iran ultimately announced today that, given this situation, it considers participating in negotiations a waste of time, as the US is obstructing any suitable agreement. Therefore, Iran will not engage with the Americans,” Tasnim said.

Here's exactly what Trump has said on Truth Social

Donald Trump has announced that the US-Iran ceasefire has been extended beyond tomorrow's deadline.

He said in a post on Truth Social: "Based on the fact that the Government of Iran is seriously fractured, not unexpectedly so and, upon the request of Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, of Pakistan, we have been asked to hold our Attack on the Country of Iran until such time as their leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal. I have therefore directed our Military to continue the Blockade and, in all other respects, remain ready and able, and will therefore extend the Ceasefire until such time as their proposal is submitted, and discussions are concluded, one way or the other. President DONALD J. TRUMP."

Iran is refusing to send its negotiating team to Islamabad to continue talks this week until President Donald Trump lifts the U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, Politico reports.

The newspaper says the update has come from two Middle East officials briefed on the situation,granted anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.

A major announcement on US-Iran talks is expected from Pakistan tonight, according to a senior diplomat.

An "announcement is likely to be made by Pakistan PM Sharif in a next few hours," the offiical told Pakistani investigative journalist Zahid Gishkori.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says "blockading Iranian ports is an act of war and thus a violation of the ceasefire" in a reference to the ongoing US naval blockade around the Strait of Hormuz.

"Striking a commercial vessel and taking its crew hostage is an even greater violation. Iran knows how to neutralize restrictions, how to defend its interests, and how to resist bullying," he wrote on X.

Dozens of Iranian ships have reportedly bypassed the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

At least 34 vessels exiting the Gulf are said to include several loaded with Iranian oil, according to the cargo tracking group Vortexa, reports the Financial Times.

The news comes despite Donald Trump saying in an interview with CNBC on Tuesday that "the blockade has been a tremendous success," adding the US would not lift its blockade until Washington reached a "final deal" with Iran.

Dozens of oil tankers have dodged the US blockade (stock)(Image: Getty Images)

Donald Trump is set to give a televised Bible reading amid his rift with Pope Leo XIV.

The US president will read from the Book of Two Chronicles at 6pm EST (11pm BST) on Tuesday, as part of 'America Reads the Bible', a week-long initiative held in tandem with the celebration of America's 250th anniversary.

The event serves as a "spiritual celebration of our nation’s founding ideals and a call to rediscover the truth that still anchors us today", according to the initiative's website.

It comes after Trump posted - and later deleted - an AI-generated image of himself as a Jesus-like figure appearing to heal a sick man in a hospital bed, sparking backlash across the US political spectrum, including from his supporters.

Less than an hour before posting the image on April 12, Trump unleashed a tirade against Pope Leo XIV on Truth Social, describing him as "WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy".

Donald Trump posted an AI-generated image of himself as a Jesus-like figure on April 12(Image: @realDonaldTrump/Truth Social)

Iran is "fully prepared for the possibility of renewed war", according to the semi-official Tasnim News Agency, which reported that military relocations are being arranged, a list of targets has been drawn up and "new surprises" are planned.

It comes after Donald Trump this afternoon said the US military is "ready to go" after restocking during the ceasefire. "We have so much ammo, so much of everything... we've used this to restock and they probably have done a little bit of restocking," he said.

Iran's foreign ministry spokesman says no decision has yet been made on sending a delegation to Islamabad for the second round of talks with the US this week.

Esmail Baghaei told the BBC: "We went to this negotiation with good faith and sense of seriousness, but you have a negotiating party that has shown its lack of seriousness, lack of good faith… They're changing their position frequently, these flip flops, threats of war crimes."

He expressed concern about the US naval blockade of Iranian ports and the seizure of an Iranian cargo ship, along with Trump's threats to destroy Iran’s civilian infrastructure.

Iran has not yet confirmed to Pakistan whether it will attend peace talks in Islamabad, according to Pakistan's minister for information and broadcasting.

Attaullah Tarar said ⁠Pakistan is "in constant touch with Iranians and pursuing the path of diplomacy and dialogue", adding that a decision from Iran to attend the talks before the end of the two-week truce "is critical".

"Pakistan has made sincere efforts to convince the Iranian leadership to participate in the second round of talks and these efforts continue," he added in a statement on X.

As a reminder, the ceasefire that began on April 8 is due to expire on Wednesday.

In his interview with CNBC earlier today, Donald Trump claimed that the Iranians are "trying to move [their] missiles around, even during the ceasefire".

"They probably have done a little bit of restocking. We caught a ship yesterday that had some things on it, which wasn't very nice, a gift from China," the US president said.

"Perhaps, I don't know. But I was a little surprised, because I have a very good relationship, and I thought I had an understanding with President Xi. But that's alright. That's the way war goes."

He did not provide further details on the "gift".

The Israeli military has sentenced two of its soldiers to 30 days in jail and removed them from combat duty for smashing a Jesus statue in southern Lebanon.

One of the soldiers sledgehammered the statue to the ground, while the other filmed the destruction.

The military said it had summoned six additional soldiers who stood by without intervening for conversations with higher-ups.

The incident has sparked widespread outrage online and condemnations from Christian religious leaders.

The Israeli military has sentenced two of its soldiers to 30 days in jail for smashing a Jesus statue in southern Lebanon(Image: X)

Since the war began on February 28, US-Israeli strikes have killed more than 3,300 people in Iran, while Israeli strikes have killed more than 2,200 people in Lebanon.

Additionally, 23 people have been killed in Israel by missiles launched from Iran and Lebanon, as well as more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states.

Fifteen Israeli soldiers in Lebanon and 13 US service members throughout the region have been killed in combat.

Pakistan’s foreign minister urged Washington and Tehran to extend the Iran ceasefire during a meeting with US Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker today, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry said.

In a statement, the ministry said Ishaq Dar "underscored Pakistan’s consistent emphasis on dialogue and diplomacy as the only viable means to address challenges and achieve lasting regional peace and stability".

In his CNBC interview, Trump was asked about his threats to bomb bridges and power plants in Iran.

"It’s not my choice but it would also hurt them, it would hurt them militarily," the US president said, claiming: "They use the bridges for their weapons, for their missile movements."

He also claimed that Iran has been "trying to move the missiles", even during the ceasefire, because the US has "obliterated" most of their missiles.

Trump added: "We are totally loaded up. We have so much ammo, we have so much of everything… Much more powerful than it was four or five weeks ago. So we have used this to restock and they probably have done a little bit of restocking."

The latest pictures from Islamabad suggest that Pakistan is preparing for the arrival of US and Iranian delegates.

We are still waiting for the US and Iran to confirm whether the talks will go ahead.

A police officer walks past billboards near the Serena Hotel in Islamabad on Tuesday ahead of the second round of talks between the US and Iran(Image: AP)

Donald Trump has said his administration is weighing a currency swap with the UAE to help the United States' Middle Eastern ally bolster its finances.

In his CNBC interview, the US president said he’s considering a request from the Central Bank of the UAE for a currency swap to help secure dollar liquidity for the oil-rich nation.

"I mean I’m surprised because they are really rich," Trump said, but added that he was open to the prospect. "You know, they’re very good for this country. So, yeah, if I could help them, I would."

Mohammed Bagher Qalibaf, Iran's chief negotiator and parliament speaker, wrote in a post on X earlier today: "We do not accept negotiations under the shadow of threats."

He added that Iran has been preparing "to reveal new cards on the battlefield".

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf says his country will 'not accept negotiations under the shadow of threats'(Image: NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Donald Trump has said Iran has "no choice but to send" delegates to Pakistan for talks with the US.

In an interview with CNBC, the president said he is confident the US will "end up with a great deal". He said US delegates are "not dealing with the nicest people" but are doing so "successfully", before hailing the US naval blockade as a "tremendous success".

Two regional officials have told The Associated Press that the US and Iran are signalling they will hold a new round of ceasefire talks in Islamabad. Pakistan-led mediators received confirmation that the top negotiators will arrive in Islamabad early on Wednesday, the officials said.

In his interview with CNBC, Donald Trump has been asked if he will continue the ceasefire if there is progress in the next round of talks with Iran.

The US president said: "Well, I don’t want to do that. We don’t have that much time," adding that Iran "had a choice" and "they have to negotiate".

It remains unclear when the ceasefire will actually expire. Tuesday night was the deadline set when the pause was announced two weeks ago, but Trump has told Bloomberg News that it will expire on Wednesday night.

Donald Trump has been asked directly if he will resume strikes if there is no progress in the upcoming talks in Islamabad.

"Well, I expect to be bombing because I think that’s a better attitude to go in with," the US president said during an appearance on CNBC’s "Squawk Box". "But, you know, we’re ready to go. I mean, the military is raring to go."

Trump has just declared the US would have won the Vietnam war if he were President then.

Market commentator Adam Cochran says President Donald Trump's intention in giving an interview to CNBC's Squawk Box is to "keep the market momentum" amid rising oil prices.

Cochran wrote on X: "He is so desperate to keep the market momentum, that tomorrow on the day the ceasefire ends he is going on financial news before the markets open instead of focusing on an Iran deal."

The US president has been speaking with CNBC's Joe Kernen on Squawk Box, a "pre-market" morning news programme, since 8.30am ET (1.30 PM BST).

It comes after the price of global benchmark Brent crude oil climbed 5.6 per cent to $95.48 per barrel on Monday amid fears that Iran could keep petroleum pent up in the Persian Gulf. US crude oil climbed 6.8 per cent to $89.61 per barrel.

Meanwhile, stocks fell slightly, with the S&P 500 slipping 0.2 per cent from its record high for just its second drop in 14 days after US forces seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship.