US and Iran Agree to Two-Week Ceasefire to Reopen Strategic Strait of Hormuz

The United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire on April 8, 2026, halting more than five weeks of fighting and securing a commitment to reopen the Strait of Hormuz for international shipping. Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced the agreement in the early morning hours, describing it as an "immediate" ceasefire across the entire region. US President Donald Trump declared the deal on Truth Social, stating he was prepared to suspend bombing of Iran for 14 days provided Iran agreed to the "complete, immediate and secure opening" of the Strait of Hormuz. Trump called the outcome a "total and complete victory" for the United States, "one hundred percent." The truce came into effect just before a 2 a.m. deadline set by Trump, after which he had threatened massive strikes on Iranian civilian infrastructure. According to the US news portal Axios, the approval of Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei — who succeeded his father Ali Khamenei following the latter's death in the opening strikes of the conflict — was described by two sources as a "breakthrough" that made the agreement possible. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed Iran would halt its defensive operations on the condition that all US-Israeli attacks on Iranian territory cease.

The conflict, known as Operation Epic Fury, began on February 28, 2026, with US-Israeli strikes that killed Iran's then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Mojtaba Khamenei, Ali's son, was appointed Supreme Leader on March 9, 2026, and is described by analysts as a hardline figure expected to continue his father's policies. The Strait of Hormuz had been a central flashpoint throughout the conflict, with its closure disrupting global oil, fertilizer, and helium shipments. Pakistan, which shares a border with Iran and has historically maintained diplomatic ties with both Tehran and Washington, emerged as the key intermediary in brokering the truce.

Pakistan mediates, Islamabad talks set for Friday Pakistan's role as central mediator proved decisive in bringing the two sides to agreement, with Shehbaz Sharif announcing that formal negotiations to resolve "all disputes" would begin in the Pakistani capital Islamabad on Friday, April 10, 2026. According to Axios, there were no direct meetings between US and Iranian representatives during the final push; talks were conducted through Pakistani intermediaries. China is also reported to have urged Iran to accept a settlement, though the extent of Beijing's involvement remains unclear. Sharif expressed hope that the "Islamabad talks" would produce a lasting peace. „We sincerely hope that within the framework of the 'Islamabad talks,' it will be possible to achieve a lasting peace” — Shehbaz Sharif via N-tv Trump described a ten-point plan submitted by Tehran as a "good working basis" for negotiations, while Iran stated it viewed a 15-point US plan as a basis for talks, though the contents of the American document have not been publicly disclosed. According to CNN, the US plan is said to include a demand that Iran renounce nuclear weapons and surrender its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, which analysts note currently stands at 400 kilograms according to the Neue Zürcher Zeitung.

Israel backs truce but carves out Lebanon exception Israel expressed support for the US-Iran ceasefire but immediately clarified that the agreement does not extend to its military operations in Lebanon against Hezbollah. The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated explicitly that the ceasefire with Iran does not apply to Lebanon, directly contradicting an earlier statement by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who had announced the truce would cover the entire region. The contradiction introduced immediate uncertainty about the geographic scope of the agreement. The Strait of Hormuz reopening, if sustained, would restore the flow of oil, fertilizers, and helium through one of the world's most critical shipping lanes, offering relief to global commodity markets. 14 (days) — duration of agreed ceasefire between US and Iran

Analysts divided on whether deal represents victory or retreat International commentary on the ceasefire was sharply divided, with observers questioning whether either side had achieved its stated objectives. The New York Times described the outcome as "a tactical victory at the last minute" for Iran, noting that the agreement secures at least temporary stability for global shipping but leaves unanswered "the fundamental questions that led to the war." The British newspaper The Times noted that Trump had framed the outcome as "regime change" in Iran, yet assessed that the new leadership in Tehran appeared to be "a radicalized, more militant version of the regime that existed before the war." The Neue Zürcher Zeitung argued it would be difficult for Trump "to achieve at the negotiating table what he could not achieve in the war," pointing to the continued existence of Iran's nuclear stockpile and the regime's survival as evidence of the military campaign's limits. Inside Iran, reactions were mixed: a Tehran teacher named Hadi, quoted by Focus, expressed concern that the government would use a narrative of US defeat to justify harsher treatment of ordinary Iranians. „The people in Iran have to pay the costs of this war” — Hadi via Focus Geopolitics analyst Klemens Fischer, interviewed by Focus, suggested the ceasefire reflected a US realization that the government in Tehran could not be overthrown through military pressure alone, marking what he described as a significant rethink in Washington's approach to the conflict.