President Donald Trump has announced a two-week suspension of U.S. bombing operations against Iran, accepting a ceasefire proposal brokered by Pakistani mediators. As detailed by Reuters, the announcement came after a morning in which Trump issued stark warnings, threatening the total destruction of a civilization if a deal was not reached.
Trump confirmed the agreement on social media, stating he had spoken with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, who had been actively mediating between Washington and Tehran. He made clear that his agreement to suspend bombing operations was contingent on Iran agreeing to the “COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz,” calling it a “double sided CEASEFIRE.”
Trump also said the U.S. had received a 10-point proposal from Iran, which he described as a “workable basis on which to negotiate.” He indicated that nearly all points of contention between the two nations had already been agreed upon and reiterated his belief that Washington’s objectives in the conflict had already been achieved.
Both sides are claiming victory, which tells you something
The Iran war began on February 28, when the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran, prompting retaliatory attacks from Tehran against Israel and Gulf states hosting U.S. bases. The conflict drove oil prices sharply higher and sent shockwaves through global markets. U.S.-Israeli strikes, alongside Israeli operations in Lebanon, resulted in thousands of deaths and millions displaced.
Iran’s foreign minister confirmed Tehran’s acceptance of the two-week ceasefire, with negotiations set to begin Friday in Islamabad, Pakistan. The condition regarding safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be managed through coordination with Iranian armed forces. Per reporting from the Associated Press, Iran and Oman will be permitted to charge fees on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz as part of the deal, with Iran planning to use its share for reconstruction. Both countries share territorial rights over the waterway.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt credited Trump and the U.S. military with the outcome, claiming Trump had initially estimated the war would last four to six weeks and that the U.S. had exceeded its core military objectives in just 38 days. She said the military’s success created “maximum leverage,” enabling a diplomatic resolution and “long-term peace.” Iran’s National Security Council also claimed victory, stating it agreed to the ceasefire because its goals had been achieved and that talks in Islamabad would consolidate their battlefield success in political negotiations.
Financial markets reacted sharply to the news. U.S. crude futures dropped around 16 percent to $94.59 a barrel, and Brent futures fell 15 percent to $92.35 per barrel. In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei surged approximately 5 percent and South Korea’s Kospi rose 6 percent, triggering a trading halt. Alex Holmes of the Economist Intelligence Unit noted that a substantial gap still remained to be bridged in negotiations, keeping markets in a “wait-and-see mode.”
Before the ceasefire was announced, the conflict continued to claim lives. Two children were among seven people killed in a series of strikes across Iraq, including an eight-year-old who died in Baghdad when a projectile struck a home, and a couple killed by a drone in northern Iraq. A bombed house in Khor Al-Zubair left three additional dead.
The ceasefire announcement coincides with a significant date in Iran: Wednesday marks the 40th day since the assassination of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a U.S.-Israeli air strike in Tehran on February 28, the first day of the military operation. His son, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, has since succeeded him. Celebrations were seen in Tehran as news of the ceasefire broke, with verified videos showing people waving Iranian flags. Amid growing skepticism over Trump’s handling of the war, MTG publicly turned on Trump over the conflict, tying her criticism to a separate scandal.
Alan Eyre, a distinguished diplomatic fellow at the Middle East Institute, said Trump was likely “justifiably terrified” by the war’s economic impact and Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz. Eyre said Trump had to “declare victory and stop,” and warned that Israeli strikes, particularly in Lebanon, could continue in the short term, noting Israel’s history of violating ceasefires. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iran-backed armed factions, also announced it would suspend operations across the region for two weeks.
The Pentagon announced that Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine would hold a news conference Wednesday morning to discuss “Operation Epic Fury.” The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the ceasefire as a “very important opportunity,” stressing the need for full commitment to stopping military operations and respecting freedom of international navigation. Egypt pledged to continue efforts with Pakistan and Turkey toward regional stability and said any U.S.-Iran talks must account for the “legitimate security concerns” of Gulf nations.
Israeli strikes in Lebanon continued after the ceasefire was announced. Heidi Pett, reporting from Beirut, noted at least two Israeli air strikes within an hour and a half of Trump’s announcement, one near a hospital in Tyre and another in Machghara. An Israeli news outlet cited a security official saying Iran had demanded the ceasefire extend to Lebanon, where Israel has been conducting military operations in the south.
Israeli officials, including Defence Minister Israel Katz, had previously insisted their fight with Hezbollah was “independent” of the war on Iran. Separately, authorities in Abu Dhabi are dealing with a fire at the Habshan gas processing facility, the UAE’s largest, which had already suffered significant damage days earlier from an air defense interception.
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez renewed her calls for Trump’s impeachment, posting on X that the temporary ceasefire “changes nothing.” She stated that Trump had “threatened a genocide against the Iranian people” and was continuing to leverage that threat, adding that “Whether by his Cabinet or Congress, the President must be removed from office.” Her call echoed those of dozens of Democratic lawmakers who had previously demanded Trump’s removal over his threats toward Iran. Senator Chris Murphy was among those calling out Trump’s threats against Iran as a potential war crime.
Published: Apr 7, 2026 10:00 pm