Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that he had agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran, just hours before his deadline for Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face large-scale attacks on civilian infrastructure.
Iran Claims US Accepted Its Terms
Iranian state television later reported that Trump had accepted Iran’s terms to end the conflict, portraying the move as a major setback for the U.S. leadership.
Tehran also stated that formal talks between the United States and Iran are scheduled to begin on Friday in Pakistan, which has been playing a key mediating role.
Trump’s social media announcement marked a sharp shift from his earlier stance the same day, when he warned that “a whole civilization will die tonight” if Iran did not comply with his demands.
He added that the last-minute agreement, brokered with Pakistan’s involvement, depends on Iran halting its blockade of oil and gas shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, a route that carries nearly one-fifth of global oil supply.
“Double-Sided Ceasefire” Declared
“This will be a double sided CEASEFIRE!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. “The reason for doing so is that we have already met and exceeded all Military objectives, and are very far along with a definitive Agreement concerning Longterm PEACE with Iran, and PEACE in the Middle East.”
Two White House officials confirmed that Israel has also agreed to the two-week ceasefire and to suspend its bombing campaign on Iran. A few minutes after Trump’s announcement, the Israeli military said that it identified missiles launched from Iran towards Israel.
Trump, who has issued a series of threats in recent weeks only to back away, claimed progress between the two sides. He said Iran had presented a 10-point proposal that was a “workable basis” for negotiations and that he expected an agreement to be “finalized and consummated” during the two-week ceasefire.
Dramatic U-Turn After Day of Threats
The abrupt turnaround capped a whirlwind day that was dominated by Trump’s threat to destroy every bridge and power plant in Iran unless Tehran reopened the strait, which unnerved world leaders, rattled global financial and energy markets and drew widespread condemnation, including criticism from the head of the United Nations and Pope Leo.
As the clock ticked down to Trump’s 8 p.m. EDT (0000 GMT) deadline, U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran intensified, hitting railway and road bridges, an airport and a petrochemical plant. U.S. forces attacked targets on Kharg Island, home to Iran’s main oil export terminal.
Iran Hits Back With Fresh Attacks
In response, Iran declared it would no longer hold back from hitting its Gulf neighbours’ infrastructure and said it had carried out fresh strikes on a ship in the Gulf and a huge Saudi petrochemical complex. Booms were heard in Doha late on Tuesday night, according to a Reuters witness in the Qatari capital.
The war, now in its sixth week, has claimed more than 5,000 lives in nearly a dozen countries, including more than 1,600 civilians in Iran, according to tallies from government sources and human rights groups.
The closure of the strait, through which almost a fifth of the world’s oil supply typically travels, has sharply increased oil prices, escalating the chances of a global economic downturn or even recession.
With the U.S. midterm election campaign ramping up, Trump’s approval ratings have hit their lowest level ever, leaving his Republican Party at risk of losing its grip on Congress. Polls show sizable majorities of Americans opposed to the war and frustrated by the rising cost of gasoline.
(With Inputs from Reuters)
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