Trump and Iran Agree to Fragile Two-Week Ceasefire

After a six-week military campaign known as Operation Epic Fury, Donald Trump and the Government of Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire on April 7, 2026. The deal followed a series of aggressive ultimatums from Trump, who threatened to destroy Iran's power plants and bridges and warned that a "whole civilization will die tonight" if the blockaded Strait of Hormuz was not reopened by a Tuesday deadline.

Brokered by Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, the truce requires Iran to ensure the safe opening of the Strait of Hormuz to international shipping. In return, the U.S. suspended its bombing campaign. Trump described the ceasefire as a "total and complete victory," while Iran's Supreme National Security Council framed it as a "historic victory" and a "humiliating retreat" for the U.S. Both nations agreed to begin formal peace talks in Islamabad on April 10, using a 10-point Iranian proposal as a "workable basis" for negotiations.

The ceasefire remains highly precarious. Israel, while supporting the pause in strikes against Iran, explicitly excluded Lebanon from the agreement and continued massive operations against Hezbollah. In response, Iran briefly re-closed the Strait of Hormuz and launched retaliatory strikes against Gulf allies in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the UAE. Additionally, disputes persist over whether Iran will charge transit tolls for vessels. The conflict, which began on February 28 with the assassination of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, caused global oil prices to spike and left severe damage to energy infrastructure across the region.