US president hails unexpected strides in peace negotiations, claiming the thorniest disputes are largely settled, signaling cautious optimism for regional stability
By Amjad Qaimkhani
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he had agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran, coming less than two hours before his deadline for Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, following discussions with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces, Field Marshal Asim Munir.
The decision marked a dramatic reversal from earlier in the day, when Trump had issued a stark warning that “a whole civilization will die tonight” if his demands were not met. The president had set an 8pm ET deadline for April 8.
In a statement shared on social media, Trump said the ceasefire depended on Iran agreeing to the “complete, immediate, and safe opening” of the Strait of Hormuz, describing the arrangement as a “double-sided ceasefire”.
“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 long-term peace with Iran, and peace in the Middle East.”
He revealed that Washington had received a 10-point proposal from Tehran, which he called a “workable basis” for negotiations, adding that most longstanding points of contention had already been addressed. The two-week pause, he said, would allow time to finalize a comprehensive agreement aimed at ending hostilities.
Trump described the development as a step toward resolving a longstanding conflict and said it was an “honor” to bring the issue close to resolution on behalf of the United States and the wider Middle East region.
Meanwhile, Iranian state television reported that Trump had accepted Iran’s terms, portraying it as a “humiliating retreat” for the US president. Two White House officials confirmed that Israel had also agreed to the ceasefire and would suspend its bombing campaign on Iran.
The announcement came hours after Shehbaz Sharif posted on X, saying diplomatic efforts for a peaceful settlement in the Middle East were “progressing steadily, strongly and powerfully with the potential to lead to substantive results in the near future.”
“To allow diplomacy to run its course, I earnestly request President Trump to extend the deadline for two weeks,” he wrote. He also asked Iran to keep the Strait of Hormuz open for the same period, describing it as a goodwill gesture.
