WASHINGTON : U.S. President Donald Trump said he had agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran just under two hours before a deadline he had set for Tehran to reach a deal or face sweeping attacks on civilian infrastructure.
Iran said negotiations with the United States would begin next Friday in Islamabad, with mediation support from Pakistan’s prime minister. Iranian state television reported that Trump had accepted Tehran’s conditions for ending the conflict.
Trump said the agreement was contingent on Iran allowing the free flow of oil and gas through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping route that carries roughly one-fifth of global oil supplies.
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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran would suspend counterattacks and ensure safe passage through the strait for two weeks in coordination with its armed forces.
“This will be a ceasefire on both sides!” Trump wrote on his social media platform, adding that U.S. forces had achieved their military objectives and made significant progress toward a broader peace agreement.
The conflict, now in its sixth week, has killed more than 5,000 people across over 10 countries, according to Reuters, including more than 1,600 civilians in Iran based on government and organizational data.
White House officials said Israel had also agreed to the temporary ceasefire and would pause its air campaign. Israeli media reported the truce would begin once Iran reopened the strait, though missile launches from Iran toward Israel were reported shortly after Trump’s announcement.
Trump said recent progress and a 10-point proposal from Tehran provided a “practical basis” for negotiations, expressing confidence that a final agreement could be completed during the ceasefire period.
Financial markets reacted swiftly, with U.S. stock futures rising and oil prices dropping sharply. U.S. crude futures fell more than 17% to just above $92 a barrel.
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