Ahead of the ceasefire deadline, Donald Trump reaffirmed on Wednesday his strong demand for a “comprehensive and complete” deal with Iran to end the 40-day conflict destabilizing the region, as the temporary truce was set to take effect on April 8, The Caspian Post reports, citing foreign media.

ABC News correspondent Jonathan Karl quoted Trump as saying clearly that he does not intend to extend the current ceasefire and sees no strategic need to do so. He also stressed that reaching a final agreement is the “best and only option” for Tehran, as it would give them the opportunity to begin extensive reconstruction efforts.

These statements are a direct reference to the massive destruction inflicted on vital facilities, military bases, and Iranian infrastructure by successive waves of airstrikes carried out jointly by US and Israeli forces.

In a related development, the US escalation has taken on a dangerous economic and military dimension, with the US military announcing that its forces have completely halted all forms of maritime trade to and from Iran.

This complete naval blockade represents crippling pressure aimed at paralyzing Iran’s financial capabilities and forcing it to the negotiating table on Washington’s terms. This poses unprecedented challenges to international navigation in the region.

For his part, Trump expressed cautious optimism about the political changes in Tehran, asserting that the Iranian regime is now “different” than it was before the confrontation began.

The US president claimed that Washington’s strategy had succeeded in “removing the hardliners” from the power structure in Tehran. Therefore, he argued, this opens the door to a comprehensive settlement that would end the conflict.

Trump told reporter Jonathan Karl, “It could end any number of ways, but I think reaching an agreement is the best option because it will allow them to rebuild.”

All eyes are now on the next few days, as the world watches to see if diplomatic efforts will succeed in transforming the temporary truce into a lasting peace, or if the region will return to a cycle of violence and military operations. This comes especially given Washington’s firm rejection of any technical extension of the ceasefire without tangible progress on the draft of a comprehensive agreement.