US and Iran agree to Pakistan's two-week ceasefire framework

'Islamabad talks' see success as PM Shehbaz invites US, Iran delegations to Islamabad on April 10

Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif, early Wednesday morning, announced that Iran and the United States "along with their allies have agreed to an immediate ceasefire everywhere including Lebanon and elsewhere, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY."

In a post on X, PM Shehbaz further invited US and Iran's "delegations to Islamabad on Friday, 10th April 2026, to further negotiate for a conclusive agreement to settle all disputes."

With the greatest humility, I am pleased to announce that the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America, along with their allies, have agreed to an immediate ceasefire everywhere including Lebanon and elsewhere, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY.
I warmly welcome the…

— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) April 7, 2026

US President Donald Trump agreed to the two-week ceasefire with less than two hours before his deadline for Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face devastating attacks on its civilian infrastructure.

Read: PM Shehbaz requests Trump and Iran for 2-week ceasefire, Hormuz reopening to advance Middle East peace efforts

Trump's announcement on social media represented an abrupt turnaround from earlier in the day, when he issued an extraordinary warning that "a whole civilization will die tonight" if his demands were not met.

Trump said the last-minute deal was subject to Iran's agreement to pause its blockade of oil and gas supplies through the strait, which typically handles about one-fifth of global oil shipments. Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araqchi, said in a statement that Tehran would stop counter-attacks and provide safe passage through the waterway.

"This will be a double-sided CEASEFIRE!" Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. "The reason for doing so is that we have already met and exceeded all Military objectives, and are very far along with a definitive Agreement concerning Longterm PEACE with Iran, and PEACE in the Middle East."

https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/116365796713313030

US President Donald Trump on Truth Social.

Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) said the deal was a victory over the US, saying Trump had accepted Iran's conditions for ending hostilities.

In a full statement released by the SNCS, they said, "Nearly all the objectives of the war have been achieved. The noble people of Iran should know that, thanks to the sacrifices of their children and their historic presence on the scene, the enemy has been begging for a ceasefire for over a month."

Full Statement of the Supreme National Security Council :
[PART-1]

Good news to the dear nation of Iran! Nearly all the objectives of the war have been achieved.

The noble people of Iran should know that, thanks to the sacrifices of their children and their historic presence on…

— True Promise - الوعد الصادق ✪🇮🇷 (@IRTruePromise) April 7, 2026

 

"In this regard...and given Iran's upper hand and that of the Resistance on the battlefield, the enemy's inability to carry out its threats despite all its claims, and the official acceptance of all the rightful demands of the Iranian people — it was decided that negotiations will be held in Islamabad to finalise the details."

The SNSC statement on X said that within 15 days, the details of Iran's victory would be "cemented in political negotiations."

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi also shared the SNSC statement in a post on X.

Statement on behalf of the Supreme National Security Council of the Islamic Republic of Iran: pic.twitter.com/cEtBNCLnWT

— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) April 7, 2026

"If attacks on Iran are halted, our Powerful Armed Forces will cease their defensive operations."

In response, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed, "This is a victory for the United States that President Trump and our incredible military made happen."

"The success of our military created maximum leverage, allowing President Trump and the team to engage in tough negotiations that have now created an opening for a diplomatic solution and long-term peace," she said in a post on X.

The war, now in its sixth week, has claimed more than 5,000 lives in nearly a dozen countries, including more than 1,600 civilians in Iran and over a 1,000 civilians in Lebanon, according to tallies from government sources and human rights groups.

A source briefed on the talks expressed wariness about the two-week ceasefire holding, saying the US side believed Iran might be trying to buy time. It was a “trust-building exercise,” the source said.

The information account for Operation True Promise released a statement thanking Pakistan's "leadership and its people for the constant and unwavering efforts and support."

Special thanks to Pakistan , its leadership and its people for the constant and unwavering efforts and support. pic.twitter.com/xt4OU1xOzJ

— True Promise - الوعد الصادق ✪🇮🇷 (@IRTruePromise) April 7, 2026

Additionally, Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan Reza Amiri Moghadam also released a statement telling people to "stay more tuned" for the next stage.

As of now, a step forward from critical, sensitive stage ...

In the next stage, respect and comity should replace rethorics and redundancy.

Stay more tuned... https://t.co/jSbUBXYEbl

— Reza Amiri Moghadam (@IranAmbPak) April 7, 2026

Conditioned on Strait's reopening

Two White House officials confirmed that Israel has also agreed to the two-week ceasefire and to suspend its bombing campaign on Iran. The agreement includes a cessation of Israel's campaign in Lebanon, PM Shehbaz said.

However, citing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli media states that while Israel "supports Trump's decision," the ceasefire "does not include Lebanon", despite PM Shehbaz's statements.

It was not immediately clear how soon the ceasefire would take full effect. Israeli media reported it would begin once Iran reopened the strait and that Israel expected Iranian attacks to continue in the interim.

Iraq's Islamic Resistance said it would suspend operations in Iraq and across the region for two weeks.

More than an hour after Trump's announcement, the Israeli military said it had identified missiles launched from Iran, and explosions from intercepted missiles could be heard in Tel Aviv. Gulf countries, including Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, also issued near-simultaneous alerts and activated air defences.

At the same time, Drop Site News reports that Israel will not stop attacking Lebanon.

🚨 BREAKING: Netanyahu’s office says Israel supports Trump’s two-week suspension of strikes on Iran but will not stop attacking Lebanon

Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office said Tuesday that Israel will suspend strikes against Iran provided Iran “immediately opens the Straits and… https://t.co/32t2eTueTY

— Drop Site (@DropSiteNews) April 8, 2026

Israeli first responders were providing medical treatment to two 15-year-old males who were in mild condition after blast injuries in the southern town of Tel Sheva, according to a spokesperson from the MDA ambulance service.

Israeli media said its military was striking back at launch sites in Iran.

Trump, who has issued a series of threats in recent weeks only to back away, said progress between the two sides had prompted him to agree to the ceasefire. He said Iran had presented a 10-point proposal that was a "workable basis" for negotiations and that he expected an agreement to be "finalised and consummated" during the two-week window.

Markets breathed a sigh of relief, with US stock futures rising in the minutes following Trump's message. Oil prices fell sharply, with US crude futures CLc1 touching their lowest price since March 26.

Global leaders also welcomed the ceasefire, with the Australian government saying that "the longer the war goes on, the more significant the impact on the global economy will be, and the greater the human cost".

Abrupt turnaround

Trump's announcement capped a whirlwind day that was dominated by his threat to destroy every bridge and power plant in Iran unless Tehran reopened the strait. That unnerved world leaders, rattled global financial and energy markets and drew widespread condemnation, including criticism from the head of the United Nations and Pope Leo.

Some international law experts have said attacking civilian infrastructure indiscriminately could constitute a war crime.

The closure of the strait has sharply increased oil prices, escalating the chances of a global economic downturn or even recession. The US Energy Information Administration earlier on Tuesday warned that fuel prices could continue to rise for months even after the strait reopened.

With the US midterm election campaign ramping up, Trump's approval ratings have hit their lowest level ever, leaving his Republican Party at risk of losing its narrow majorities in Congress. Polls show sizable majorities of Americans are opposed to the war and frustrated by the rising cost of gasoline.

As the clock ticked down to Trump's 8 p.m. EDT (0000 GMT) deadline, US and Israeli strikes on Iran had intensified, hitting railway and road bridges, an airport and a petrochemical plant. US forces attacked targets on Kharg Island, home to Iran's main oil export terminal.