US Awaits Unified Iranian Response as Trump Extends West Asia Ceasefire

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated the U.S. is awaiting a unified response from Iran despite understanding its decision-making structures. She emphasized that President Donald Trump extended the ceasefire to pressure Iran to consolidate its position. Leavitt noted significant differences between Iran's public messaging and its private concessions in negotiations. The U.S. maintains it holds leverage over Iran, which it claims is weakened militarily and economically.

Key Points: US Awaits Unified Iran Response After Ceasefire Extension

  • US awaits unified Iranian response
  • Trump extends ceasefire
  • US maintains leverage over Iran
  • Public and private Iranian stances differ
3 min read

"We want to see unified response and unified proposal": Karoline Leavitt after ceasefire extension in West Asia conflict

White House presses Iran for a unified proposal amid internal divisions, as President Trump extends a ceasefire in the ongoing West Asia conflict.

"We want to see a unified response and a unified proposal. - Karoline Leavitt"

Washington DC, April 23

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Wednesday said the United States has a clear understanding of decision-making structures within Iran, but is awaiting a "unified response" from Tehran.

Speaking to the reporters, Leavitt said, "The White House and our intelligence community certainly have a good understanding. However, we want to see a unified response and a unified proposal. You see a lot of different messaging on social media from many people within the regime, and a lot of that public nonsense is not what we hear from them privately. But again, we want a unified response, and that's what the President is awaiting."

She further said US President Donald Trump decided to extend the ceasefire, asserting that Iran must "get its act together" as Washington maintains its demands amid the conflict.

Responding to a question on whether Trump's posts on Truth Social impacted the talks negatively, Leavitt dismissed the suggestion, saying the United States has been clear about its demands from the outset.

"Look at where we are right now. The President chose to extend the ceasefire because it's Iran that needs to get its act together. The United States and President Trump have been very clear in our demands and our red lines in what we need to see in the best interest of the American people, our country and our allies from the very beginning. So the short answer to your question is no," she said.

Leavitt said the United States is maintaining leverage over Iran, asserting that Washington is awaiting a unified response from Tehran despite "internal friction and division" within its leadership.

She said the US negotiating team has engaged directly with Iranian counterparts, while emphasising that President Donald Trump has offered "a little bit of flexibility" to allow for a consolidated proposal in response to Washington's demands.

"We obviously know who we are negotiating with because our negotiating team has sat down with those individuals in person. But obviously, there is a lot of internal friction and internal division... Their regime and many of its leaders for nearly five decades have been wiped off the face of planet Earth. So again, the President is offering them a little bit of flexibility because we want to see a unified proposal to the President's very strong proposal. He has made his red lines very clear. Again, the United States maintains control over this situation and leverage over the Iranian regime. Not only have they been significantly weakened and obliterated militarily, but they are losing economically and financially every single moment that passes with this blockade. The President is going to continue to lead the free world, to run the United States of America as we await the Iranian response," she said.

She cautioned against taking statements from Iran at face value, saying public messaging from Tehran differs significantly from its private stance in negotiations with the United States.

"The response is, you guys all see a lot of different messaging coming out of Iran.... I would caution you to take anything that they say at face value. What we have seen is that what they say publicly is much different from what they concede to the United States and our negotiating team privately," she said.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
"Public nonsense" vs private talks... sounds like a classic negotiation tactic. But extending the ceasefire is a positive step. The focus should be on de-escalation for the sake of innocent civilians caught in the middle. 🙏
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Priya S
As an Indian, our primary concern is how this affects oil prices and our diaspora in the Gulf. Any instability in West Asia directly hits our economy. Hoping for a peaceful resolution soon.
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Rohit P
The language from the White House seems very aggressive – "obliterated militarily", "losing economically". Is this really the tone for productive diplomacy? A little humility from powerful nations could go a long way.
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Vikram M
Complex situation. India has good relations with both sides. We must continue our balanced approach and advocate for dialogue. Our foreign policy should focus on protecting national interests while promoting regional stability.
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Michael C
The internal divisions within Iran's leadership are being used as a leverage point. Smart move by the US negotiators. Let's see if the "flexibility" offered yields results. The extension is better than a return to full conflict.

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