US and Iran Agree to Two-Week Ceasefire

United States President Donald Trump has agreed to suspend his planned bombing of Iran for two weeks, following his dramatic threat that "a whole civilization will die tonight" if Tehran did not comply with his demands.

In a surprise announcement on his Truth Social platform Tuesday evening, Trump reversed course just under 1.5 hours before his 8pm (00:00 GMT) deadline for the attack. The announcement came at 6:32pm US Eastern time (22:32 GMT), raising hopes of de-escalation in what threatened to become a major regional conflict.

"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," Trump wrote.

The agreement came after weeks of escalating tensions, with Trump having previously dismissed Iran's 10-point plan as inadequate but later acknowledging it as a "workable basis on which to negotiate."

Iran's Minister of Foreign Affairs Abbas Araghchi quickly confirmed the tentative agreement through social media.

"If attacks against Iran are halted, our Powerful Armed Forces will cease their defensive operations," Araghchi stated. "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."

Iran went further, claiming the agreement included "cessation of the war on all fronts, including against the heroic Islamic resistance in Lebanon." However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office issued a contradictory statement Wednesday asserting that "the two-week ceasefire does not include Lebanon."

Netanyahu's statement read: "Israel supports President Trump's decision to suspend strikes against Iran for two weeks subject to Iran immediately opening the straits and stopping all attacks on the US, Israel and countries in the region," adding that "the US had allegedly told Israel that it would achieve its goals in the upcoming negotiations."

The conflicting claims about Lebanon's inclusion in the ceasefire came amid reports of continued violence in the region. At least eight people were killed and 22 injured Tuesday night in a strike on a car in Sidon, about 20km south of Beirut, occurring just minutes before Pakistan's Prime Minister announced the ceasefire.

Iran's Supreme National Security Council hinted in a separate statement that the ceasefire could potentially be extended beyond its initial two-week period if negotiations proceed favorably. Further diplomatic talks are expected to take place in Islamabad over the coming weeks as both sides work to establish a more permanent resolution to their ongoing tensions.

The agreement represents a significant diplomatic achievement for Pakistan, which stepped in to mediate at the critical hour, and provides a two-week window for potentially negotiating a lasting peace in a region that has been on the brink of widespread conflict.

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