The United States and Iran have agreed to a two-week ceasefire, stepping back from the brink of a wider regional conflict after President Donald Trump withdrew threats of large-scale strikes on Iranian infrastructure.
The agreement, announced late Tuesday, includes the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global shipping route that Iran had effectively restricted during weeks of escalating conflict.
Trump had earlier warned that Iran must accept a deal or face sweeping attacks on its power plants and bridges, language that raised alarm among US lawmakers and international officials. Less than two hours before his self-imposed deadline, he signaled a shift toward de-escalation, citing diplomatic contacts with Pakistan’s prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, and the country’s army chief.
“Almost all of the various points of past contention have been agreed to,” Mr. Trump said on social media, adding that the two-week period would allow time to finalize an agreement.
Uncertainty surrounding the deal
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said it had accepted the ceasefire and would enter negotiations with the United States in Pakistan beginning Friday. Neither side specified when the ceasefire would formally take effect.
Even as the announcement was made, violence continued across the region. Missile alerts were reported in several countries, including Israel and Gulf states, and both Iran and Israel appeared to continue military operations into early Wednesday.
The scope of the agreement also remained unclear. Israel said it supported the US decision to suspend strikes on the condition that Iran reopen the strait and halt attacks, but Israeli officials indicated that the arrangement did not necessarily extend to its conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon.
At the same time, Pakistan’s leadership said the ceasefire framework included a halt to fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, highlighting conflicting interpretations of the deal.
Core disputes persist
Central disagreements between Washington and Tehran remain unresolved, including Iran’s nuclear program, sanctions relief and the presence of US forces in the region.
Iranian officials said the proposed framework would allow some level of uranium enrichment, though that language appeared in some versions of the plan but not others distributed publicly, raising further questions about the negotiations.
Iran has also demanded the lifting of sanctions, the release of frozen assets and the withdrawal of US combat forces as part of any long-term agreement.
In a sign of continued domestic pressure, pro-government demonstrators in Tehran gathered after the announcement, chanting slogans against the United States and Israel and burning flags.
A conflict with regional impact
The war, which began in February with coordinated US and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets, has triggered widespread instability across the Middle East.
More than 1,900 people have been reported killed in Iran, according to available figures, though official updates have been limited. In Lebanon, over 1,500 people have been killed in fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, and more than one million displaced.
Casualties have also been reported in Israel, Gulf states and the West Bank, as well as among US forces.
Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz — through which a significant share of the world’s water passes — has added economic pressure, contributing to global market volatility and intensifying calls for de-escalation.
While the ceasefire represents a pause in hostilities, its durability remains uncertain.
Previous deadlines set by Trump have been extended or revised, and key elements of the current agreement remain disputed or undefined.
With military operations still ongoing in some areas and major issues unresolved, the coming two weeks are likely to test whether the diplomatic opening can lead to a broader settlement — or merely delay further conflict.
