The United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire late Tuesday, narrowly avoiding President Donald Trump’s expiring deadline. Consequently, Trump suspended attack threats after Iran accepted Friday negotiations in Islamabad.
Ceasefire Terms Spark Questions
Trump declared on Truth Social, “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.” Iran’s Supreme National Security Council confirmed acceptance. However, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Strait passage would operate under Iranian military management, leaving uncertainty about full access. Additionally, Iran’s Farsi ceasefire text includes “acceptance of enrichment” for its nuclear program, while English versions omit this phrase.
Regional Fighting Persists
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office agreed to the ceasefire but added it ‘did not include Lebanon’. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s prime minister stated the deal requires Israel and Hezbollah to halt Lebanon fighting. Nevertheless, missile alerts continued across UAE, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Kuwait early Wednesday. Furthermore, Iranian fire ignited an Abu Dhabi gas facility even as the US military halted offensive operations against Iran. An Israeli official confirmed continued attacks on Iran, while Iran maintained fire on Israeli targets.
Oil prices plunged more than 17% after the announcement, relieving political pressure on Trump from rising fuel costs. Consequently, Asian stock markets soared in early Wednesday trade. The conflict has claimed over 1,900 lives in Iran and 1,500 in Lebanon, where more than 1 million people fled. Additionally, 23 people died in Israel, 13 US service members lost their lives, and two dozen perished across Gulf states and the West Bank.
