Both the US and Iran declare victory after a two-week ceasefire agreement
The United States and Iran declared victory Wednesday after agreeing to a two-week ceasefire in exchange for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a truce that Israel said it supports while confirming that it doesn’t include Lebanon.
“It’s a total and complete victory, 100%, There isn’t a doubt about it,” US President Donald Trump said shortly after the ceasefire was announced.
He affirmed that the Iranian uranium issue would be resolved completely, but declined to comment on whether he would reiterate his previous threats to destroy Iranian power plants and bridges should the agreement fail.
He hinted that China might have exerted pressure on Iran to return to the negotiating table to reach a ceasefire.
Tehran, for its part, declared that it had achieved a great victory, and the Iranian Supreme National Security Council announced that “the enemy suffered an undeniable and crushing historic defeat”.
Iranian authorities indicated on Wednesday that talks with Washington would begin on Friday in Pakistan, the key mediator in the Middle East war that erupted on February 28 and has claimed thousands of lives.
However, the positions of the warring parties remain far apart.
Hours earlier, the US president wrote on Truth Social that provided the Islamic Republic of Iran accepts the full, immediate and secure opening of the Strait of Hormuz, “I agree to suspend bombing and attacks against Iran for two weeks”.
He added, “We’re close to reaching a final agreement on a long-term peace with Iran, and peace in the Middle East”.
He noted that Tehran had presented “a 10-point proposal, which we believe provides a practical basis for negotiation”.
The White House then indicated that it was considering holding direct talks with the Iranians.
This ceasefire announcement came an hour before the expiration of the latest in a series of ultimatums issued by Donald Trump to Iran, in which the US president threatened to annihilate an entire civilization if Tehran didn’t reopen this strategic waterway by midnight Tuesday GMT.
Before the war, 20% of the world’s crude oil passed through this strait.
Iranian leaders, for their part, confirmed their agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz for two weeks if attacks on Iran cease, according to the Iranian Foreign Minister who wrote on X.
Tehran indicated that Iranian armed forces would monitor the limited daily passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz during the ceasefire.
The Iranian statement also called for the lifting of sanctions imposed on Iran.
According to the Persian text of the agreement published by Iranian media, the plan proposed by Tehran also stipulates that Washington accept uranium enrichment; however, these details are absent from the English version submitted to the United Nations.
The Supreme National Security Council announced in a statement that Iran will hold negotiations with the American side in Islamabad for two weeks, explaining that this doesn’t mean the end of the war, and that this period is extendable by agreement between the two parties.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Wednesday on X, “I am pleased to announce that the Islamic Republic of Iran, the United States and their allies have agreed to an immediate ceasefire everywhere, including Lebanon and elsewhere, with immediate effect,” using capital letters at the end of his message.
However, Israel, which announced its support for the US decision to suspend airstrikes on Iran for two weeks, confirmed on Wednesday in a statement issued by the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and distributed to journalists that this agreement doesn’t include Lebanon.
The Israeli army announced on Tuesday that it had completed the deployment of its ground forces in southern Lebanon, reaching an advanced line of defense against Hezbollah fighters.
Early Wednesday, Lebanese authorities announced that an Israeli airstrike, which occurred before the ceasefire was declared, resulted in the deaths of eight people in Sidon.
Israel also reported that Iran launched three missile salvos early Wednesday, shortly after Trump announced a halt to the strikes.
