US, IRAN AGREE TWO-WEEK CEASEFIRE AFTER LAST-MINUTE DIPLOMACY
Read Time:1 Minute, 23 Second
By Aishat Momoh. O.
The United States and Iran have agreed to a two-week ceasefire following last-minute diplomatic efforts led by Pakistan, averting a looming escalation in the ongoing conflict.
The agreement was announced by US President Donald Trump less than two hours before a self-imposed deadline to launch major strikes on Iranian infrastructure, including power plants and bridges.
According to Trump, the ceasefire is conditional on Iran allowing the “complete, immediate, and safe opening” of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy route. He expressed optimism that both sides could use the two-week window to negotiate a broader peace agreement.
Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, confirmed Tehran’s acceptance of the ceasefire, stating that safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz would be ensured in coordination with the country’s armed forces.
The truce follows weeks of escalating hostilities, including reported US strikes on military targets and Israeli attacks on infrastructure across Iran. Iranian authorities also reported retaliatory actions targeting regional facilities.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was said to have requested the temporary ceasefire to allow diplomacy to proceed. Reports indicate that Israel has also agreed to the arrangement, pending the reopening of the strategic waterway.
The conflict had drawn global concern, with António Guterres warning against attacks on civilian infrastructure, which are prohibited under international law. Iran’s UN representative, Amir-Saeid Iravani, had earlier described threats of escalation as potential war crimes.
The ceasefire is expected to provide a critical window for negotiations, as tensions over the Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant portion of global oil supply passes remain a central issue in the crisis.
Happy
0 %
Sad
0 %
Excited
0 %
Sleepy
0 %
Angry
0 %
Surprise
0 %
0
0