Trump Announces Two-Week Ceasefire with Iran

United States President Donald Trump announced a two-week ceasefire with Iran on Tuesday, hours after issuing a stark social media warning that the country faced annihilation if it did not agree to a deal. The agreement, mediated by Pakistan, came amid a 40-day conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran that has disrupted global energy supplies through Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for about 20 percent of the world's oil.

The truce followed Trump's morning post on Truth Social, where he stated that unless Iran reached an agreement, "a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again." He had set a deadline for Tehran to reopen the strait, threatening attacks on civilian infrastructure such as bridges and power plants if unmet. Just two hours before the deadline expired, Trump reversed course, declaring that the United States had "already met and exceeded all military objectives." The ceasefire allows limited ship passage through the strait under coordination with Iranian forces, with talks scheduled to begin Friday in Islamabad to discuss a long-term settlement.

Iranian officials confirmed the pause but emphasized it...