US President Donald Trump has announced that at the request of Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, he is willing to postpone the planned attack on Iran for two weeks, provided that Iran opens the Strait of Hormuz immediately and safely.
According to President Trump, this move will be part of a bilateral ceasefire, which will give the two countries an opportunity to finalize a long-term peace agreement.
Trump said that the US has achieved most of its military goals and the 10-point proposal presented by Iran provides a workable basis for negotiations.
According to him, progress has been made on most of the points of disagreement and the two-week period will help complete the agreement.
The official announcement of the ceasefire appeared on President Trump’s social media platform Truth Social at 3:32 am on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Earlier, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif had appealed to all parties to agree to a two-week ceasefire to give diplomacy a chance and requested Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz as a gesture of goodwill.
Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan Reza Amiri Moqadam confirmed the development, saying that the situation had “moved one step beyond a very sensitive stage” and that Pakistan’s efforts were “entering an important and fruitful phase.”
Iran has also announced that talks with the US on a ten-point agenda will begin in Islamabad on Friday for 15 days, with the possibility of extension if necessary.
According to Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, “the resistance of the Iranian people and armed forces” has forced the enemy to retreat in the past 40 days and the talks are now aimed at “consolidating the successes achieved on the battlefield at the political level.”
Iran’s 10-point plan includes ending regional wars, providing safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, lifting sanctions, restoring frozen assets, withdrawing US forces, and covering Iran’s reconstruction costs. Iran claims that the US has accepted these principles as a basis for negotiations, but Iran has made it clear that the war will end only when all points are fully agreed upon.
Pakistan has invited both the US and Iran to talks in Islamabad on Friday. It is not yet clear to what extent Israel will abide by the ceasefire, but diplomatic sources say the move is a significant step towards reducing tensions in the region.
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