US President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced suddenly a two-week ceasefire with Iran—on the condition that it reopens the Strait of Hormuz—just hours after sounding the alarm around the world about the threat to destroy Iran’s civilization. Although Iran has accepted the deal, the warring parties gave conflicting accounts of the terms. Israel too is reported part of the ceasefire agreement and will halt bombing targets in Iran while negotiations take place over the next 14 days, although Israel has not yet officially confirmed this.
“According to the talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, of Pakistan, and in which they requested that I stop the destructive force being sent tonight in Iran, and under the Islamic Republic of Iran to agree to the COMPLETE, QUICK and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz, I agree to suspend for a period of two weeks the attacks of Iran. on the side of CEASEFIRE!” Trump said in a post on Social Reality.
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced suddenly a two-week ceasefire with Iran—on the condition that it reopens the Strait of Hormuz—just hours after sounding the alarm around the world about the threat to destroy Iran’s civilization. Although Iran has accepted the deal, the warring parties gave conflicting accounts of the terms. Israel too is reported part of the ceasefire agreement and will halt bombing targets in Iran while negotiations take place over the next 14 days, although Israel has not yet officially confirmed this.
“According to the talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, of Pakistan, and in which they requested that I stop the destructive force being sent tonight in Iran, and under the Islamic Republic of Iran to agree to the COMPLETE, QUICK and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz, I agree to suspend for a period of two weeks the attacks of Iran. on the side of CEASEFIRE!” Trump said in a post on Social Reality.
Trump also said a 10-point proposal from Iran to end the war with the United States provides “a workable basis for negotiation.”
“Most of the points of the previous conflict have been agreed between the United States and Iran, but the two-week period will allow the agreement to be finalized and completed,” Trump added.
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said it had accepted the ceasefire, which it described as a “victory,” while signaling it would maintain control of the sea. In particular, Iran also claimed that Trump accepted his 10-point plan, contrary to his claim that the elements are still to be completed.
Details on how the Strait of Hormuz will be reopened are still unclear. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted a statement to X which said passage through the strait “will be possible through coordination with the Iranian Armed Forces and taking into account technical limitations.”
Trump’s surprise ceasefire announcement was seen as the result of anxious diplomacy led by Pakistan. His Social Truth post about the deal was published less than two hours before an 8 p.m. deadline he would set for Iran to agree to a cease-fire agreement and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping lane through which about 20 percent of crude oil and liquefied natural gas are normally transported, or face attacks on Iran’s energy infrastructure.
Iran has maintained a blockade on the strait since the war began – wreaking havoc on global energy markets – although it recently began allowing ships from some nations to pass. The rise in gas prices caused by Iran’s actual action to block the Gulf has put a lot of economic and political pressure on Trump.
Earlier on Tuesday, Trump had warned that “the whole civilization will die tonight” if Iran does not reach a deal by his deadline, adding to an earlier threat to destroy Iran’s bridges and power plants. Trump’s critics, including congressional Democrats, condemned him threatening to commit genocide and want the president to be removed from power.
This story is in progress and will continue to be updated.
This post is part of FP’s ongoing coverage. Read more here.
