Trump Announces Two-Week Iran Ceasefire as Strait of Hormuz Reopens

President Trump announced a two-week ceasefire with Iran in the early hours Wednesday morning, contingent on Tehran fully reopening the Strait of Hormuz to navigation. The deal came just before Trump's own deadline expired for striking Iranian infrastructure and power plants.

Trump had threatened to "obliterate Iranian civilization" unless Iran agreed to terms. The White House had originally set April 9th as the war's end date, though Israel pressed for additional weeks at the time.

"Subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the full, immediate, and safe opening of the Strait of Hormuz, I agree to suspend attacks on Iran for a period of two weeks," Trump wrote on Truth Social. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi responded that safe passage through the strait "will be possible within two weeks in coordination with the Iranian armed forces, and taking into account technical constraints."

Araqchi added that Iran "will cease all its defensive operations if the attacks against it cease." Iran's Supreme National Security Council accepted the ceasefire terms and announced negotiations with the United States would begin Saturday in Islamabad.

The ceasefire represents a shift for an administration balancing US interests against Israel's regional objectives. After 41 days of warfare, the conflict has damaged the American economy, hurt Trump's approval ratings, and strained Middle East alliances. Trump faces a political test as the temporary truce hangs in the balance.

The Iranian newspaper Maariv concluded this week that Israel and the United States lost the war, with Iran emerging victorious. This assessment aligns with growing questions about whether Washington's strategy of military-backed diplomacy achieved its objectives in the region.

The economic toll has been severe. Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz — through which 20% of global oil passes — has driven energy prices higher and forced the US Navy to divert resources from countering China's Pacific expansion. American taxpayers have funded weeks of sustained military operations while watching gas prices climb.

Saturday's talks in Pakistan will test whether Trump can convert military pressure into lasting diplomatic gains. Iran has agreed to reopen the strait but has not committed to broader nuclear concessions or regional de-escalation. Israel's willingness to accept a brief pause suggests its own military objectives remain unmet after weeks of combat.

The two-week timeline creates pressure on both sides. Trump must show concrete progress to justify the pause to skeptical allies and domestic critics. Iran needs to demonstrate it can deliver on safe passage commitments while maintaining face after weeks of conflict. The window for diplomacy opens Saturday, but the underlying tensions that sparked this crisis remain unresolved.