In a post on Truth Social he says that it is conditional on Iran<\/a> reopening the strait of Hormuz calling it a double sided ceasefire. He goes on to say that he has received a workable ceasefire proposal from Iran.<\/p>\n double quotation markThe 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.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n We\u2019ll bring you more as it comes in.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Key events<\/p>\n Show key events only<\/p>\n Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature<\/p>\n In person talks have not been finalised, says White House<\/p>\n The White House is considering in-person talks with Iran<\/a> but they have not been finalised, press secretary Karoline Leavitt has said.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cThere are discussions about in-person talks, but nothing is final until announced by the President or the White House,\u201d Leavitt said after Iran said it agreed to talks with the United States to begin Friday in Pakistan.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n It remains far from clear what shape a future deal between the US and Iran could take. Iranian state media is saying that the ceasefire deal is built upon a ten point plan that they submitted to the US, which includes maximalist demands that the Trump administration<\/a> has rejected in the past.<\/strong><\/p>\n Danny Citrinowicz<\/a>, a nonresident fellow at the Atlantic Council, has offered a sobering assessment of the outcome of America\u2019s five week war, saying the conflict was launched with \u201csweeping promises: regime change in Iran, the dismantling of its missile and nuclear programs, and preventing it from threatening the Strait of Hormuz.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd where are we now?\u201d he asks.<\/p>\n double quotation markThe regime is still firmly in power.<\/p>\n Its missile capabilities are damaged still intact<\/p>\n It still holds roughly 440 kg of uranium enriched to 60%.<\/p>\n And in return?<\/p>\n A \u2018controlled\u2019 reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, something that wasn\u2019t even truly closed to begin with.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s be honest: this is not a strategic victory.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Authorities in Abu Dhabi are dealing with a fire at the Habshan gas processing facility, the Abu Dhabi media office said early on Wednesday, as Gulf states activated air defences following threats of missile and drone attacks across the region.<\/strong><\/p>\n Attacks across the region have continued despite the declaration of a provision ceasefire between the US and Iran<\/a>.<\/p>\n Share<\/a> US political leaders and many Americans breathed a sigh of relief on Tuesday evening, after Donald Trump<\/a> announced a provisional ceasefire deal following threats to destroy Iran\u2019s \u201cwhole civilization\u201d.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m glad Trump backed off and is desperately searching for any sort of exit ramp from his ridiculous bluster,\u201d Chuck Schumer, the Senate Democratic leader, said on Tuesday night.<\/p>\n Several Republicans<\/a> cheered the president\u2019s decision, casting it as shrewd and tactical.<\/p>\n US senator Rick Scott last month. Photograph: Gabriela Passos\/AP<\/p>\n \u201cExcellent news,\u201d Senator Rick Scott of Florida said. \u201cThis is a strong first step toward holding Iran<\/a> accountable and what happens when you have a leader who puts peace through strength over chaos and weak appeasement policies.\u201d<\/p>\n Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the chamber\u2019s loudest and most aggressive Iran hawks, said on Tuesday evening he shared the hope that \u201cwe can end the reign of terror of the Iranian regime through diplomacy\u201d.<\/p>\n But he added: \u201cWe must remember that the strait of Hormuz was attacked by Iran after the start of the war, destroying freedom of navigation. Going forward, it is imperative Iran is not rewarded for this hostile act against the world.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n American journalist Shelly Kittleson, who was recently kidnapped in Baghdad, has been released<\/a>, US secretary of state Marco Rubio has announced.<\/strong><\/p>\n double quotation markThe U.S. Department of State extends its appreciation to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of War, U.S. personnel across multiple agencies, and the Iraqi Supreme Judicial Council and our Iraqi partners, for their assistance in securing her release.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n In a post on social media, Rubio said her release reflects the \u201cTrump Administration\u2019s steadfast commitment to the safety and security of American citizens, no matter where they are in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n Kittleson, a freelance journalist, has for years built a respected journalism career across the Middle East, particularly in Iraq and Syria.<\/p>\n Rubio said on Tuesday that the US was working to support her safe departure from Iraq.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Mark Saunokonoko<\/p>\n Oil prices fell, bonds rallied and stocks surged as an apparent two-week ceasefire in the Middle East was seen as potentially paving the way for a lasting peace and resumption of Gulf oil and gas exports.<\/strong><\/p>\n As his deadline came within two hours of passing, Donald Trump<\/a> posted on Truth Social that he agreed to suspend bombing and attacks on Iran for two weeks.<\/p>\n On that news, US crude futures fell around 9% to $103 a barrel, S+P 500 futures leapt 1.6% and the US dollar fell broadly.<\/p>\n Futures pointed to broad gains for Asia\u2019s stock markets, and 10-year US Treasury futures jumped about 15 ticks.<\/p>\n Details about the ceasefire are still very sketchy. However, Iran has said it would guarantee safe passage for maritime traffic through the vital strait of Hormuz for two weeks, announcing the pause would be used for talks with the US on ending the war, starting Friday in Islamabad.<\/p>\n Markets in Asia are about to start opening. We\u2019ll stay on top of market movements through the day.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n The US department of war has announced that a press conference will be held with secretary Pete Hegseth and the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, Gen Dan Caine, at 8am EST on Wednesday.<\/strong><\/p>\n Share<\/a>Summary<\/p>\n It has been a dizzying two hours of diplomatic moves across the Middle East. Here is how things stand:<\/p>\n Donald Trump has pulled back on his threats to launch devastating strikes on Iran<\/strong>, less than two hours before a deadline he set for Tehran to capitulate or else a \u201cwhole civilization will die.\u201d Trump said he was holding off on his threatened attacks on Iranian bridges, power plants and other civilian targets, subject to Tehran agreeing to a two-week ceasefire and reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, the waterway through which a fifth of the world\u2019s oil is shipped during peacetime.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Iran\u2019s Supreme National Security Council said it had conditionally accepted a two-week ceasefire<\/strong> if attacks agains Iran are halted.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Iran\u2019s foreign minister said passage through the strait of Hormuz<\/strong> will be allowed for the next 2 weeks under Iranian military management.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Iranian state media said negotiations with the US would be held in Islamabad to finalise details of an agreement<\/strong>, with the aim of \u201cconfirming Iran\u2019s battlefield achievements\u201d. Talks will begin on Friday 10 April and may be extended, state media reported. State media also reported that talks with the US do not amount to the end of the war.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Pakistani prime minister Shebaz Sharif announced that Iran, the US and their allies agreed to an immediate ceasefire everywhere, including Lebanon<\/strong>. Sharif has been a key figure in attempting to reach a diplomatic solution between the two warring parties. In his statement, Sharif invited delegations to Islamabad on \u201cFriday, 10th April 2026, to further negotiate for a conclusive agreement to settle all disputes.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Trump said Iran had proposed a \u201cworkable\u201d 10-point peace plan. According to Iranian state media, the ten-point proposal includes a number of conditions that the US has in the past rejected<\/strong>. Among them are controlled transit through strait of Hormuz coordinated with Iranian armed forces and withdrawal of all US forces from regional bases. The plan would also require the lifting of all primary and secondary sanctions, payment of full compensation to Iran and release of all frozen Iranian assets.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Iranian state media also said the 10-point plan for securing an end to the war would require Washington to accept its uranium enrichment program<\/strong>, a previous red line for the Trump administration<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Even as the ceasefire was proposed, missile alerts continued in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Israel<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Attacks are continuing across the Middle East. Missile alerts have sounded in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Kuwait, despite the US suspending its escalating attacks on Iran<\/a> and agreeing to enter into talks.<\/strong><\/p>\n Israel warned at least two rounds of missiles had been fired by Iran since Trump\u2019s statement. Blasts were heard in Jerusalem and Jericho in the occupied West Bank, AFP correspondents said.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Pakistan says all parties have agreed to an immediate ceasefire<\/p>\n Pakistani prime minister Shebaz Sharif has announced that Iran, the US and their allies have agreed to an immediate ceasefire everywhere, including Lebanon<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n Sharif has been a key figure in attempting to reach a diplomatic solution between the two warring parties. On Tuesday he requested that Donald Trump<\/a> delay his planned escalation in attacks against Iran.<\/p>\n In his statement, Sharif invited delegations to Islamabad on \u201cFriday, 10th April 2026, to further negotiate for a conclusive agreement to settle all disputes.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n It\u2019s now more than an hour since Donald Trump<\/a> announced he was suspending his escalated bombing campaign, but attacks continue to be reported across the region.<\/strong><\/p>\n Israel has said it has detected an incoming Iranian missile barrage \u2013 the second since Trump\u2019s announcement.<\/p>\n Meanwhile missile alerts are sounding in the United Arab Emirates.<\/p>\n Rocket trails are seen in the sky above the Netanya, Israel. Israel’s military issued two warnings in quick succession early Wednesday that Iran had fired missiles toward it, moments after US President Donald Trump said he had agreed to postpone striking Iranian infrastructure. Photograph: Jack Guez\/AFP\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a020.34 EDT<\/p>\n Proposal to the US includes condition that Iran will continue uranium enrichment<\/p>\n Iran\u2019s supreme national security council has said that the ten-point proposal sent to the United States included a condition that Iran<\/a> would continue its enrichment of Uranium.<\/strong><\/p>\n The security council said that Iran had been victorious and claimed that the US had accepted all of Iran\u2019s ten point plan.<\/p>\n There has been no confirmation of that from the US side and Trump himself merely called the plan \u201cworkable.\u201d<\/p>\n However Democratic senator Chris Murphy he leapt on those comments from Iran, telling CNN \u201cwho knows if any of that is true, but if this agreement gives Iran the right to control the strait that is cataclysmic for the world.\u201d<\/p>\n double quotation markIt is just stunning that that\u2019s where we have gotten to, that Donald Trump took a military action that has apparently, at least for the time being, given Iran control over a critical waterway that they did not have control over, before the war began.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n double quotation markWhat an error, what a miscalculation.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a021.29 EDT<\/p>\n Minutes before Donald Trump<\/a> announced he was suspending his plan to bomb Iran\u2019s energy infrastructure, two civilians, one of them an eight-year-old child, were killed in Baghdad by a projectile crashing into their home.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cThree other civilians, including a woman, were wounded\u201d in the western Amiriya district of the Iraqi capital, according to a source, speaking to the AFP news agency.<\/p>\n People inspect the damage to their homes, after a drone attack struck their neighbourhood on Palestine Street, in eastern Baghdad, Iraq. Photograph: Hadi Mizban\/APShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a019.39 EDT<\/p>\n Passage through strait of Hormuz allowed for two weeks ‘under Iranian management’<\/p>\n Iran\u2019s foreign minister has said passage through the strait of Hormuz will be allowed for the next 2 weeks under Iranian military management.<\/strong><\/p>\n Abbas Araqchi also said that Iran would halt its attacks, if attacks against it stop.<\/p>\n Donald Trump has for weeks been demanding that Iran reopen the strait of Hormuz, through which up to a fifth of global oil transits through. The closure has sent energy prices rising, causing chaos for the world economy.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Iranian state media says US talks ‘do not mean end of war’<\/p>\n Iranian media is reporting that talks with the US do not amount to the end of the war.<\/strong><\/p>\n Iran will only accept the war\u2019s conclusion once details are finalised in line with the ten-point peace plan, state media is reporting.<\/p>\n According to state media, the ten-point proposal includes a number of conditions that the US has in the past rejected.<\/p>\n Among them are controlled transit through strait of Hormuz coordinated with Iranian armed forces and withdrawal of all US forces from regional bases.<\/p>\n The plan would also require the lifting of all primary and secondary sanctions, payment of full compensation to Iran and release of all frozen Iranian assets.<\/p>\n\n
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Lauren Gambino<\/p>\n\n
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