Trump said the ceasefire deal was brokered in a phone call with Netanyahu.
Washington, US: President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced that a ceasefire between Israel and Iran is now in effect, urging both nations to uphold the agreement after a deadly exchange of missile attacks.
“THE CEASEFIRE IS NOW IN EFFECT. PLEASE DO NOT VIOLATE IT!” Trump posted on his social media platform, Truth Social. His announcement came shortly after Iran launched waves of missiles, which Israel’s national ambulance service said resulted in the deaths of four people in Beersheba, the first reported Israeli casualties since the ceasefire was announced.
Also Read | Iran Confirms Ceasefire After Strikes In Beersheba
Witnesses reported explosions near Tel Aviv and Beersheba just before the ceasefire took hold. Israel’s military said six waves of missiles were launched by Iran. Meanwhile, Iran’s semi-official SNN news agency confirmed that Tehran had fired its final round of missiles before the ceasefire began.
Trump said the ceasefire deal was brokered in a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and that Israel had agreed to the terms on the condition that Iran would cease further attacks. “On the assumption that everything works as it should, which it will, I would like to congratulate both Countries, Israel and Iran, on having the Stamina, Courage, and Intelligence to end, what should be called, ‘THE 12 DAY WAR’,” Trump wrote.
While an Iranian official confirmed the agreement, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi stated that Iran’s final decision on ceasing military operations would depend on Israel halting what he termed “illegal aggression” against the Iranian people by 4 a.m. Tehran time (0030 GMT). “The final decision on the cessation of our military operations will be made later,” Araqchi posted on X.
The hostilities were fueled by Israeli and US attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities, based on accusations that Tehran was nearing the development of a nuclear weapon – a claim Iran denies. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei previously stated that if Iran wanted nuclear weapons, “world leaders wouldn’t be able to stop us.” Israel, which is widely believed to be the only country in the Middle East that possess nuclear weapons, has neither confirmed nor denied such capabilities. Unlike Iran, Israel is also not a party to the Internatonal Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Also Read | Why Iran Chose Qatar To Target US Bases In The Region
Qatar played a mediating role, with Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani reportedly securing Tehran’s agreement during a phone call with Iranian officials. On the U.S. side, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and special envoy Steve Witkoff were involved in direct and indirect contacts with Iran, according to a White House official.
The Israeli government remained tight-lipped following the announcement. According to Channel 12 television, Prime Minister Netanyahu instructed cabinet ministers not to speak publicly following an early-morning meeting.
