In a significant diplomatic breakthrough, Iran has agreed to a two-week ceasefire with the United States, with negotiations set to begin Friday in Islamabad, following a proposal by US President Donald Trump to suspend military strikes.
The ceasefire comes after Trump offered to halt attacks on Iran on the condition that Tehran ensures the full reopening of the strategically crucial Strait of Hormuz for safe maritime passage.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed that Tehran would facilitate safe transit through the waterway during the ceasefire period, in coordination with Iranian armed forces, provided that all attacks against Iran are stopped.
The development follows intervention by Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who urged Washington to extend its deadline for a deal while calling on Iran to reopen the Strait, a key global oil transit route.
The White House has since confirmed that US military operations, including airstrikes, will be suspended for two weeks, signaling a shift toward diplomacy after escalating tensions.
Israeli media reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has backed the temporary pause in hostilities with Iran, though the ceasefire does not extend to Lebanon.
Meanwhile, celebrations broke out in Iraq’s capital Baghdad, where tensions had escalated due to clashes involving pro-Iran armed groups and US forces. The ceasefire has raised hopes of easing regional instability.
The agreement, announced shortly before a previously set US deadline, marks a potential opening for negotiations and a step away from further escalation in the region.
