Ceasefire Deal Reached as Iran Signals Hormuz Strait Reopening

Donald Trump has agreed to suspend a planned bombing campaign against Iran for two weeks, stepping back from earlier threats that “a whole civilization will die tonight” if Tehran failed to comply with US demands.

On Tuesday evening, just hours before the scheduled military action, Trump announced on his platform Truth Social that he had decided to reverse course and pause the attack.

In his statement, Trump credited Pakistan for mediating the development. He said the pause in military action was conditional on Iran reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil transit route.

“Based on conversations with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, wherein they requested that I hold off the destructive force being sent tonight to Iran, and 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.

The message was posted at 6:32pm US Eastern time (22:32 GMT), less than two hours before the 8pm (00:00 GMT) deadline that had been set for the strike.

Shortly after Trump’s announcement, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed that a tentative understanding had been reached between the parties.“If attacks against Iran are halted, our powerful armed forces will cease their defensive operations,” Araghchi stated, signaling a reciprocal de-escalation.

He further added that, for the next two weeks, safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz would be ensured in coordination with Iran’s armed forces, while also taking technical limitations into account.

Araghchi also acknowledged Pakistan’s role in facilitating the last-minute diplomatic effort, thanking its leadership for urging restraint.

In a separate statement, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council indicated that the ceasefire could be extended beyond the initial two-week period if ongoing negotiations yield positive results. Additional talks are expected to take place in Islamabad in the coming weeks.