‘I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks,’ the U.S. president said on social media.
President Donald Trump said on April 7 that he would suspend pending attacks on Iran.
“Based on conversations with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, of Pakistan, and 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. This will be a double sided CEASEFIRE!” Trump said on Truth Social.
His announcement came about an hour and a half before his 8 p.m. ET deadline and Pakistan’s request that he halt the attack.
The president added that Iran’s 10-point peace plan proposal is a “workable basis” to continue negotiations.
“This will be a double sided CEASEFIRE! The reason for doing so is that we have already met and exceeded all Military objectives, and are very far along with a definitive Agreement concerning Longterm PEACE with Iran, and PEACE in the Middle East,” Trump wrote.
Almost all the various points of previous proposals have been agreed to, and the two-week ceasefire will allow an agreement to be finalized, Trump said.
“On behalf of the United States of America, as President, and also representing the Countries of the Middle East, it is an Honor to have this Longterm problem close to resolution,” Trump said.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi followed up Trump’s announcement with a statement on behalf of the Supreme National Council of the Islamic Republic of Iran, expressing gratitude to the Pakistani officials for their work to reach a ceasefire.
“If attacks against Iran are halted, our Powerful Armed Forces will cease their defensive operations,” the statement said. “For a period of two weeks, safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be possible via coordination with Iran’s Armed Forces and with due consideration of technical limitations.”
Araghchi said the decision was in response to a 15-point peace proposal from Pakistan and Trump’s comments on Iran’s 10-point proposal.
American and Israeli forces ramped up strikes against Iran earlier on Tuesday before the announcement of the cease-fire by both sides.
“A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will,” Trump had said on Truth Social.
Trump had been threatening to obliterate Iran’s energy sector and infrastructure for weeks as a retaliatory measure on the Islamic regime’s targeting of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
In response, Iran threatened to intensify its attacks and target Gulf state neighbors.
Trump offered multiple extensions to his promise of destruction of Iran, with the latest deadline being April 7 at 8 p.m. ET.
Hours before that, U.S. Central Command announced it launched exploding attack drones overnight against Iranian targets.
The Israeli military said it had also attacked eight bridge segments across Iran on Tuesday.
Within five hours of Trump’s final 8 p.m. ET deadline, multiple Gulf states reported Iran launched missile and drone attacks against their territories.
Pakistan, neighboring Iran, has served as a mediator amid the conflict.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif requested Trump to again extend his deadline earlier Tuesday, citing progress on negotiations.
“To allow diplomacy to run its course, I earnestly request President Trump to extend the deadline for two weeks. Pakistan, in all sincerity, requests the Iranian brothers to open the Strait of Hormuz for a corresponding period of two weeks as a goodwill gesture,” Sharif said in a post on X.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told The Epoch Times before the announcement of the cease-fire that the White House received the Pakistani proposal and was considering it.
By Sam Dorman, Troy Myers, Joseph Lord and Ryan Morgan
