- Trump extends ceasefire, maintains blockade -

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he was extending a ceasefire with Iran to give more time for negotiations, but would maintain Washington's naval blockade of the country's ports.

Trump posted on social media that he would "extend the Ceasefire" until Iran came up with a proposal to end the conflict. However, he "directed our Military to continue the Blockade."

The ceasefire extension came hours before it was believed to be set to expire.

- Iran threatens Gulf oil -

Iran's Revolutionary Guards on Tuesday threatened to prevent oil production in the Middle East if the Islamic republic faced attacks launched from its Gulf neighbours' territory.

"The southern neighbours should know that if their geography and facilities are used in the service of the enemies to attack the Iranian nation, they should bid farewell to oil production in the Middle East," the commander of Guards' aerospace force, Majid Mousavi, was quoted by Fars news agency as saying.

- Vance delays departure -

Vice President JD Vance, who is expected to lead a US delegation at upcoming negotiations with Iran in Pakistan, was still in Washington midday Tuesday to participate in meetings, the White House said, despite recent reports saying he was to leave this morning.

"Additional policy meetings are taking place at the White House in which the vice president will participate," an official said in a brief statement sent to AFP shortly after 1700 GMT.

- Lebanon seeks 500 mn euros -

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said Tuesday the country needed 500 million euros to address the conflict's ongoing humanitarian fallout amid a fragile 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.

"Lebanon needs 500 million euros to tackle the humanitarian crisis over the next six months," Salam said during a press conference in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron.

- Hezbollah retaliates against Israel -

Hezbollah said it launched an attack on northern Israel on Tuesday in retaliation for what it said were Israeli violations of a 10-day ceasefire, the first such claim since the truce began.

The Iran-backed group said in a statement that its fighters launched rockets and attack drones at a site in northern Israel that it said was the source of artillery shelling towards a south Lebanon town.

- Lebanon ups toll -

Lebanon raised the toll from six weeks of war between Israel and Hezbollah to 2,454 dead as a fragile 10-day ceasefire holds.

- Waiting on Tehran -

Mediator Pakistan has yet to receive a formal response from Iran on whether it would send a delegation for a second round of talks with the United States, Islamabad's information minister said.

- US position called 'strong' -

US President Donald Trump touted what he said was Washington's strong negotiation position as his envoys prepared for talks with Iran in Pakistan to end the Middle East conflict.

"We're going to end up with a great deal. I think they (Iran) have no choice...We're in a very, very strong negotiating position," Trump told broadcaster CNBC.

- Seafarers' SOS -

The head of the UN maritime agency appealed for help for thousands of seafarers stranded in the Gulf by the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Around 20,000 seafarers and 2,000 ships have been stranded since US-Israeli strikes on Iran started the Middle East war on February 28, according to the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

- No Iranian departure -

"So far, no delegation from Iran has departed for Islamabad, Pakistan; whether it is the main or subsidiary delegation; primary or secondary," Iranian state TV said, dismissing reports suggesting otherwise.

A source familiar with the US planning for the talks told AFP that an American delegation will head to Pakistan "soon" for a new round of peace negotiations.

burs/jgc/md