Tehran says negotiations with US to start Friday in Islamabad
Iran says it has accepted a two-week ceasefire, with negotiations to begin on Friday in Pakistan’s Islamabad, after US President Donald Trump said he would suspend attacks subject to Tehran agreeing to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s foreign minister says safe passage through the key waterway will be possible for a period of two weeks via coordination with Iranian armed forces.
Trump agrees to suspend bombing of Iran for two weeks
Donald Trump has announced that he will suspend his threatened bombing of Iran’s energy infrastructure and bridges for two weeks.
In a post on Truth Social he says that it is conditional on Iran reopening the strait of Hormuz calling it a double sided ceasefire. He goes on to say that he has received a workable ceasefire proposal from Iran.
The reason for doing so is that we have already met and exceeded all Military objectives, and are very far along with a definitive Agreement concerning Longterm PEACE with Iran, and PEACE in the Middle East.”
We’ll bring you more as it comes in.
US political leaders and many Americans breathed a sigh of relief on Tuesday evening, after Donald Trump announced a provisional ceasefire deal following threats to destroy Iran’s “whole civilization”.
“I’m glad Trump backed off and is desperately searching for any sort of exit ramp from his ridiculous bluster,” Chuck Schumer, the Senate Democratic leader, said on Tuesday night.
Several Republicans cheered the president’s decision, casting it as shrewd and tactical.
“Excellent news,” Senator Rick Scott of Florida said. “This is a strong first step toward holding Iran accountable and what happens when you have a leader who puts peace through strength over chaos and weak appeasement policies.”
Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the chamber’s loudest and most aggressive Iran hawks, said on Tuesday evening he shared the hope that “we can end the reign of terror of the Iranian regime through diplomacy”.
But he added: “We must remember that the strait of Hormuz was attacked by Iran after the start of the war, destroying freedom of navigation. Going forward, it is imperative Iran is not rewarded for this hostile act against the world.”
