Trump Announces Fragile Iran Ceasefire, Talks Set

President Donald Trump announced a fragile two-week ceasefire with Iran on Tuesday via social media, halting U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on the country but leaving key flashpoints unresolved, including the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz and ongoing Israeli operations in Lebanon. The agreement, brokered through Pakistani mediation, came hours before a self-imposed deadline Trump had set for Iran to reopen the vital shipping route, averting what he had threatened would be the destruction of Iran's civilization.

The White House considered a national televised address by Trump to explain the deal but ultimately shelved the plan, according to three U.S. officials who spoke on condition of anonymity. Senior advisers cited insufficient clarity on the agreement's details as the reason, with concerns that projecting overconfidence could undermine the nascent truce. One official noted that Trump had been adamant about delivering the speech, but internal discussions did not advance far enough to alert networks. A White House statement denied the matter ever reached the president's level, calling reports of such talks "fake news." A senior official acknowledged informal chatter...