MOSCOW, April 22. /TASS/. The US has extended its ceasefire with Iran to allow more time for negotiations, despite uncertainty over Tehran’s response; the future of Druzhba pipeline oil supplies remains unclear as political disputes over EU funding and sanctions persist; and Russia’s seaborne oil exports have rebounded after weeks of decline thanks to recovering shipments in the Baltic. These stories topped Wednesday’s newspaper headlines across Russia.
The ceasefire regime between the United States and Iran has received an unexpected extension: on the evening of April 21, US President Donald Trump announced that the pause would remain in place until Tehran presents its proposals and negotiations are brought to a conclusion. This decision has reduced the risks of immediate escalation, yet it has not resolved the key contradictions between the parties. Iranian state television, immediately following Trump’s statement, released a position according to which Tehran does not recognize the extension of the ceasefire and may choose to observe it or not, guided by its own national interests. Amid mutual accusations and uncertainty, the risk of a return to military escalation in the Middle East is increasing rapidly, Izvestia writes.
