After Announcing the Ceasefire.. Shock in Israel and Iranian Talk of a Historic Victory

SadaNews - In a surprising turn of events, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a two-week ceasefire with Iran on the condition that navigation in the Strait of Hormuz is reopened, indicating the possibility of reaching a final agreement to end the war that has been ongoing for six weeks, especially since the agreement was made without consulting Israel. Trump's announcement, published on his Truth Social platform, came just shortly before the deadline he stated, after which he said he would "wipe out the entire Iranian civilization" unless an agreement was reached and the strait reopened to navigation. Tehran considered the decision a historic victory for itself, saying it accepted this temporary halt in fighting based on the advice of Supreme Leader Mujtaba Khamenei, and due to what it described as its military superiority on the ground. The Iranian National Security Council stated in a communiqué that the conditions proposed by Tehran "include a complete halt to the war against all elements of the resistance axis, establishing a navigation protocol in the Strait of Hormuz in coordination with the Iranian side, lifting sanctions, and withdrawing U.S. forces from all their positions in the region." The statement indicated that both parties agreed to begin negotiations next Friday in Pakistan, where Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif requested Trump on Tuesday to extend the timeframe he granted Iran for an additional two weeks, which was indeed granted. The United States did not accept these Iranian conditions but agreed that they would serve as the basis for negotiations, according to Al Jazeera correspondent in Tehran, Omar Hawash, who noted that the Iranian National Security Council's statement “means endorsement of the ceasefire.” The key point in these developments, according to Hawash, is that an agreement was reached to end the war with international guarantees and a decision from the United Nations Security Council, as the Iranians say. **Effectiveness of the Ceasefire** In the meantime, Axios news reported that U.S. officials stated that the ceasefire would take effect immediately upon the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz for navigation, and the upcoming negotiations would be the first direct talks between the U.S. and Iran since the war began in late February. Trump clarified in his post that he did not stop the war, but rather halted the extensive attacks he ordered against Iran, and that this was contingent upon the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Later, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Washington, Fadi Mansour, reported that U.S. Central Command confirmed to Al Jazeera that it received orders to halt all military operations against Iran immediately, indicating that this means the Iranians are accepting to reopen the strait. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also stated that safe passage in the Strait of Hormuz "will be possible within two weeks in coordination with the Iranian armed forces, taking into account technical restraints," adding that Iran "will halt all its defensive operations if the attacks against it cease." Araghchi added that the U.S. has accepted the Iranian conditions for stopping the war, and that direct negotiations will take place for two weeks in Pakistan, which can be extended if both parties agree to do so. **Shock in Israel** In Israel, a state of shock prevailed due to Tel Aviv being informed about the details of the agreement which it will be obligated to implement once reached, according to what a senior political official said to the official broadcasting authority. Another Israeli official confirmed to Channel 12 that the political level has not given any instructions to the military establishment regarding halting attacks on Iran. However, what is being circulated in Israeli media, according to Khamaisi, revolves around linking the cessation of Israeli operations against Iran to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court, is scheduled to hold a cabinet meeting today, Wednesday, to discuss these developments. Trump had asserted that significant progress has been made towards a final agreement for a long-term peace with Iran, adding: "We received a 10-point proposal from Iran, and we believe it is a practical basis for negotiation." The U.S. president added that he agreed to halt bombing Iran and launching attacks against it for two weeks. He stated that this period would allow for the completion and realization of the agreement, and that nearly all previous points of contention between the two countries have been agreed upon, affirming that the U.S. has achieved and surpassed all its military objectives with Iran.