President Donald Trump has backed down from his threat to launch devastating strikes on Iran, announcing a two-week suspension of military action after mediation by Pakistan. In a post on Truth Social on Tuesday evening, Trump said he had agreed to hold off the assault following requests from Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, and subject to Iran agreeing to the complete and safe reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed the agreement, stating that shipping traffic through the strait would be allowed for two weeks and that Iran would cease 'defensive' operations during that period, provided attacks against Iran stop. A White House official told The Independent that Israel had also agreed to the ceasefire terms. Pakistan's Prime Minister wrote on X that hostilities would cease in southern Lebanon as well, and invited delegations from both countries to Islamabad on 10 April 2026 for further negotiations.
The announcement followed a day of heightened tensions, during which Trump had warned that Iran's 'civilization will die tonight' unless Tehran capitulated. The earlier threat drew sharp criticism from Democratic lawmakers, with some calling for Vice President JD Vance to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove the president, and others demanding impeachment. Despite the ceasefire declaration, CNN reported that strikes continued to pound Tel Aviv and other areas in Israel, and an Israeli military official said Israel continued to launch strikes within Iran.
Global markets reacted positively to the news, with US crude oil futures falling more than 15 percent, while S&P 500 futures jumped 2.2 percent and Dow futures rose 930 points. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz had caused a spike in oil prices, as about a fifth of the world's oil and gas supplies transit the waterway, which had been largely blocked by Iranian mines and forces.
