U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he had agreed to suspend military attacks on Iran for a period of two weeks, in what he described as a “double-sided ceasefire.”
In a post on social media, Trump said the pause in hostilities would take effect on condition that Iran agrees to the “complete, immediate and safe opening” of the Strait of Hormuz.
“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,” Trump said.
He added that Washington had received a 10-point proposal from Tehran, which he described as “a workable basis on which to negotiate.”
The ceasefire proposal was reportedly delivered by Shehbaz Sharif, who is seeking to create room for peace talks. Earlier on Tuesday, Sharif urged Trump via social media to extend the deadline for a deal by two weeks, while also calling on Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz for the same period as a goodwill gesture.
Prior to the announcement, Trump had issued strong warnings, saying Iran’s “whole civilization will die tonight” if no agreement was reached by 8:00 pm ET. He also told a press conference on Monday that, under a U.S. plan, key infrastructure in Iran, including bridges and power plants, would be destroyed.
Meanwhile, U.S. officials cited by local media said American forces carried out overnight strikes on military targets on Iran’s Kharg Island, a critical oil export hub, though oil facilities were reportedly not hit. Reports also indicated that several railway lines across Iran were struck on Tuesday.
On the Iranian side, Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said Tehran would guarantee safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz during the two-week ceasefire, under coordination with its armed forces. He added that Iran would halt “defensive operations” if attacks against it stop.
Araghchi further disclosed that Iran is prepared to hold negotiations with the United States in Islamabad, noting that the temporary ceasefire does not signal the end of the conflict, as discussions on the details of the 10-point proposal are still pending.
