The United States and Iran have agreed to a provisional two-week ceasefire, temporarily halting hostilities that escalated over a month ago with coordinated U.S.-Israeli attacks. The fragile truce, mediated by Pakistan, took effect immediately on Wednesday, with both nations offering conflicting interpretations of its terms.
President Donald Trump announced the suspension of military strikes against Iran, contingent on Tehran reopening the Strait of Hormuz—a vital global shipping corridor for oil exports. In a Truth Social post, Trump stated, "We have already met and exceeded all military objectives," while threatening 50% tariffs on any country supplying weapons to Iran.
Iran responded by allowing vessels through the strait under military coordination and issued a 10-point plan demanding sanctions relief, release of frozen assets, and reconstruction compensation. Tehran's Supreme National Security Council emphasized, "Iran fully commits to not seeking possession of any nuclear weapons."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed support for the ceasefire but clarified it "does not include Lebanon," where Israeli forces continued strikes against Hezbollah targets. Sirens sounded in Israel shortly after the announcement as missile interceptions were reported.
Despite the agreement, tensions persisted with Kuwait reporting Iranian attacks damaging critical infrastructure. Pakistan has invited both delegations to Islamabad on Friday for further negotiations, though White House officials cautioned that "nothing is final until announced by the President."
European leaders from nine nations and the EU welcomed the ceasefire in a joint statement, urging "a swift and lasting end" to the conflict while calling for implementation in Lebanon. The coming days will test whether this temporary pause can evolve into sustained diplomacy.