The United States and Iran have agreed to a two-week ceasefire, after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened earlier today that “a whole civilisation will die tonight”.
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said it had accepted a two-week ceasefire after Trump announced the deal on social media, and will conduct direct negotiations with the U.S. in Islamabad on Friday. The council called the deal a “victory for Iran” and said that “this does not signify the termination of the war”.
“Subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz, I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The agreement was based on discussions with Pakistan’s government, Trump wrote. Pakistan has sought to mediate negotiations between the U.S. and Iran, and had told the U.S. not to launch its threatened large-scale attacks today.
Trump had threatened this week that the U.S. could destroy bridges and power plants across Iran today. “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again,” he wrote on social media earlier.
Israel’s government has not yet publicly responded, though a White House official told CNN that Israel had also agreed to a two-week halt.
While Iran’s proposed conditions for an end to the war include Israel withdrawing from Lebanon, Israel has not indicated if it would do so. The Israeli military issued a new slate of evacuation demands for residents in southern Lebanon today as it continues to send ground forces into the country.
Iran will temporarily permit passage through the Strait of Hormuz under the supervision of its military, it said. “For a period of two weeks, safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be possible via coordination with Iran’s Armed Forces and with due consideration of technical limitations,” wrote Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
Araghchi did not say if these ships would be charged tolls. Some ships have paid Iran’s government to transit the strait, per shipping intelligence outlet Lloyd’s List.
According to Iran, the U.S. has also agreed to accept Iran’s 10-point plan as the basis for Friday’s negotiations. This includes lifting all sanctions on Iran, accepting Iranian nuclear enrichment, and recognising its control over the strait.
