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3. Trump Agrees to Ceasefire Following Day of Threats and Diplomatic Oscillation

U.S. President Donald Trump announced a two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran on Tuesday evening following a day marked by sharp escalation, stalled diplomacy, and last-minute re-engagement.

Earlier in the day, Trump dramatically escalated his rhetoric, warning on Truth Social that “a whole civilization will die tonight” if Iran failed to comply with U.S. demands, as he signaled readiness to expand strikes.

That message was reinforced by U.S. military posture, with the Pentagon preparing additional strike options targeting Iranian infrastructure, including transport and energy networks, indicating that escalation remained imminent even as diplomatic efforts continued.

Disengagement and Third-Party Intervention

Iran initially stepped back from negotiations, signaling it would not accept terms dictated under the president's threats from this morning and reiterated that any agreement must reflect its own conditions.

However, as the threat of expanded U.S. strikes intensified, backchannel diplomacy accelerated, with Pakistan as a key intermediary.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's mediation, coordinated with Pakistani Army Chief of Staff Asim Munir, facilitated a mutually declared recognition of a two-week-long ceasefire. 

Ceasefire Announcement and Conditions

Trump first announced the ceasefire in a Truth Social post, stating that the United States and Iran had agreed to a two-week “double-sided ceasefire," framing it as a test period for a broader deal to be reached, built on the multi-point proposals from both the U.S. and Iran. 

In a statement posted shortly after, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi expressed “gratitude and appreciation” for Pakistan’s role, confirming that Iran agreed to negotiations based on a U.S. 15-point proposal “along with the general framework of Iran’s 10-point proposal.”

Araghchi made clear that Iran’s acceptance remains conditional, stating that if attacks against Iran stop, Iran will also stop its “defensive operations.”

He also confirmed that safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be ensured for two weeks in coordination with Iran’s armed forces with “due considerations of technical limitations.”