WASHINGTON D.C. – President Donald Trump announced a two-week ceasefire with Iran late Tuesday, April 7, 2026, just 90 minutes before his self-imposed 8 p.m. Eastern Time deadline for "devastating attacks" on Iranian civilian infrastructure was set to expire. The agreement, brokered through Pakistani mediation, hinges on Iran's "COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING" of the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz to international shipping, a condition Tehran has reportedly accepted. This last-minute diplomatic breakthrough temporarily defuses a rapidly escalating crisis that had seen President Trump threatening widespread destruction if his demands were not met.
The dramatic pivot came after days of heightened tensions, during which President Trump had issued stark warnings, including a social media post on Truth Social where he cautioned, "A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again," if Iran failed to reopen the strait. The White House confirmed that Israel had also agreed to the two-week ceasefire, suspending its bombing campaign against Iran. This development was met with widespread international relief, with countries including Iraq, Ukraine, and Oman welcoming the ceasefire and praising Pakistan's pivotal role in facilitating the truce.
The Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime chokepoint connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman, had been a focal point of the conflict. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had previously asserted "irreversible strategic changes" to the strait, largely restricting passage and claiming "complete control" over the waterway since early March 2026. This disruption significantly impacted global energy and transport markets, raising fears of supply chain disruptions and energy price spikes, as approximately 25% of global oil trade and 20% of global LNG trade pass through the strait.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed Tehran's acceptance of the two-week ceasefire, stating that "safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be possible via coordination with Iran's Armed Forces and with due consideration of technical limitations." This temporary reopening is a key concession from Iran, which had earlier presented a 10-point peace proposal to the United States via Pakistani intermediaries. President Trump described this proposal as a "workable basis on which to negotiate." The Iranian plan reportedly includes demands for the lifting of all primary and secondary sanctions on Iran, continued Iranian control over the Strait of Hormuz, and the withdrawal of U.S. military forces from the Middle East.
Peace talks are now scheduled to commence on Friday, April 10, 2026, in Islamabad, Pakistan, aimed at finalizing a more comprehensive agreement. While the U.S. has not yet confirmed the attendance of its officials for in-person talks, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt indicated that "discussions about in-person talks" are underway, emphasizing that "nothing is final until announced by the President." Vice President JD Vance is currently serving as the U.S. interlocutor in these delicate negotiations.
The two-week ceasefire offers a fragile window for diplomacy to achieve a lasting resolution to the ongoing conflict, which began in late February 2026 with U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iranian targets. However, the deep distrust and mutually exclusive demands—such as Iran's insistence on maintaining control over the Strait and the U.S. demand for its complete reopening—underscore the significant challenges ahead for negotiators in Islamabad. The international community remains hopeful that this pause in hostilities will pave the way for a more stable peace in the volatile Middle East.