A temporary two-week halt to hostilities has been agreed upon by Iran, the United States, and Israel, with Tehran announcing it will enter negotiations with Washington starting Friday in Islamabad.
President Trump initially described Iran’s 10-point proposal as “workable,” but subsequently denounced the plan as fraudulent, though he provided no additional details about his concerns.
Hours before the ceasefire agreement, Trump escalated his warnings to Iran, threatening catastrophic military action. “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again,” he cautioned, if Iran refused to reach an agreement that included reopening the crucial Strait of Hormuz.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office released a statement Wednesday morning expressing support for Trump’s choice to halt strikes against Iran for the two-week period. However, the office clarified that this pause does not extend to the ongoing conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon, where casualties have exceeded 1,500 people.
International leaders have responded positively to the development. Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim stated Wednesday that the temporary ceasefire “augurs well for the restoration of peace and stability, not only to the region but also the rest of the world.”
Indonesia similarly praised the agreement as a diplomatic opportunity for reducing tensions. Yvonne Mewengkang, spokesperson for Indonesia’s Foreign Affairs ministry, commented: “The Indonesian government will always support any constructive diplomatic efforts, including those that have the potential to lead to a more permanent resolution, with the protection of civilians as our primary focus.”
South Korea’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement commending mediation work by nations including Pakistan and urged rapid restoration of Middle Eastern peace and stability. The ministry expressed expectations for the “prompt and safe” return of unrestricted navigation through the Strait of Hormuz for all vessels, including South Korean ships.
On social media, Trump characterized the ceasefire as a “big day for World Peace” and announced that America “will be helping with the traffic buildup in the Strait of Hormuz.”
“There will be lots of positive action!” Trump wrote in his post.
“Big money will be made. Iran can start the reconstruction process. We’ll be loading up with supplies of all kinds, and just ‘hangin’ around’ in order to make sure that everything goes well. I feel confident that it will.”
Trump’s message on his Truth Social platform reflects Washington’s ongoing concerns about Iran’s control over the narrow Persian Gulf passage, through which one-fifth of global oil and natural gas shipments travel during peacetime.
Despite the ceasefire announcement, Bahrain activated its missile warning systems Wednesday morning. The Interior Ministry of Bahrain confirmed the alert.
The exact timing for when the ceasefire would take effect remained unclear immediately following the announcement.
Following the deal’s announcement, Iran has continued launching missiles targeting Gulf Arab nations and Israel.
