In a significant turn of events, President Trump has opted for a two-week suspension of planned military actions against Iran, a decision made just under 90 minutes before the designated 8 p.m. deadline. This pause hinges on Iran’s agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical passage for global oil shipments.
Announcing this development on Truth Social, Trump shared that he had discussions with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir. Both leaders advocated for restraint, cautioning against what they referred to as a “destructive force” poised to strike Iran.
Trump emphasized that the ceasefire depends on Iran’s “COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz.” He described the situation as a “double-sided CEASEFIRE,” noting that the U.S. had already achieved its military goals and was progressing towards a sustainable peace agreement with Iran and broader Middle Eastern peace.
He further revealed that Iran had submitted a 10-point proposal, which the U.S. sees as a viable foundation for negotiations. “Almost all of the various points of past contention have been agreed to between the United States and Iran,” Trump stated, indicating a significant diplomatic breakthrough.
The president expressed optimism about the two-week pause, suggesting it would provide the necessary time to finalize and formalize the agreement. He concluded by stating, “On behalf of the United States of America, as President, and also representing the Countries of the Middle East, it is an Honor to have this Longterm problem close to resolution. Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
“A two week period will allow the Agreement to be finalized and consummated,” he added. On behalf of the United States of America, as President, and also representing the Countries of the Middle East, it is an Honor to have this Longterm problem close to resolution. Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
Iran launched missiles at Israel moments after Trump announced he would agree to the cease-fire, but its semi-official Tasnim News reported that the regime agreed to the proposal and will soon provide more details.
.Iranian state-run media painted the announcement as proof that Iran forced Trump into an agreement.
“US President Donald Trump has once again retreated from his own threats, stating, I agree to halt bombings and attacks against Iran for a period of two weeks, and this will be a mutual ceasefire,” Iran’s IRNA News Agency posted to X.
Tehran’s ambassador to Pakistan Reza Amiri Moghadam posted a cryptic message to X shortly after 6:15 p.m.
“As of now, a step forward from critical, sensitive stage,” he wrote. “In the next stage, respect and comity should replace rhethorics and redundancy.”
The US demanded that Iran restore shipping through the narrow waterway that carries roughly 20% of the world’s oil supply or face what Trump warned could be devastating military action.
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“A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will,” Trump warned on Truth Social Tuesday morning.
“… We will find out tonight, one of the most important moments in the long and complex history of the World.”
Tehran on Monday had issued a 10-point response to an American 15-point plan to end the war that Washington sent through intermediaries two weeks ago, Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reported at the time.
The document rejected any talk of a cease-fire, instead opting for “a permanent end to the war that respects its own considerations,” which would include lifting US sanctions on Iran, funds for reconstruction efforts, as well as developing “safe passage protocol through the Strait of Hormuz,” according to IRNA.
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Pakistan, which has served as the main mediator for the US and Iran throughout the weeks-long war, made an 11th-hour bid for Trump to extend the deadline by two weeks — proposing that Iran could temporarily reopen the strait for that period “as a goodwill gesture.”
“Diplomatic efforts for peaceful settlement of the ongoing war in the Middle East are progressing steadily, strongly and powerfully with the potential to lead to substantive results in near future,” Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said in a statement Tuesday afternoon.
The two-week deal came after the US unleashed targeted strikes on Iran’s critical Kharg Island, through which Iran exports roughly 90% of its crude oil.
Roughly 50 strikes were carried out on bunkers, a radar station and ammunition storage on the Islamic Republic’s oil-critical stronghold — while stopping short of targeting key energy infrastructure such as oil tanker landing docks, Fox News reported, citing a senior US official.
Tuesday’s tensions left global markets on edge, with fears mounting that the US could follow through on threats to target key Iranian infrastructure including bridges and power plants, escalating the conflict.
“We have a plan because of the power of our military where every bridge in Iran will be decimated by 12 o’clock tomorrow night,” Trump said Monday, “where every power plant in Iran will be out of business, burning, exploding, and never to be used again.”
He said “it will happen over a period of four hours.”
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