Former US President Donald Trump announced that Israel and Iran had agreed to a “complete and total ceasefire,” bringing an alleged end to what he termed the “12-Day War.” But his claim was swiftly met with denial from Iran, which stated that no formal agreement had been reached. Despite this, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi later hinted at a potential end to hostilities, praising Iran’s military for resisting “until the very last minute.”
Araghchi’s statement came just hours after Iran said it had no interest in further conflict—provided Israel stopped its “illegal aggression.” He emphasized that Iran was not the aggressor, saying, “Israel launched war on Iran, not the other way around.” He set a deadline of 4 am Tehran time (6 am IST) for Israel to halt attacks, implying Iran would then cease its military response. Notably, his tone suggested a readiness to de-escalate if the conditions were met, though no formal ceasefire document was confirmed.
Meanwhile, in a surprise post on Truth Social, Trump declared that a ceasefire would go into effect six hours after the announcement—starting with Iran, and followed by Israel 12 hours later. He praised both nations for their “courage and intelligence,” saying the war “could have gone on for years, and destroyed the entire Middle East, but it didn’t.”
Trump’s announcement followed a dramatic escalation. Just two days prior, he had ordered strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, prompting a volley of retaliatory missile attacks from Iran on US bases in Iraq and Qatar. While Trump downplayed Iran’s response as “very weak,” the situation on the ground remained tense, with three US allies reportedly involved in intercepting most of the incoming missiles.
Reuters reported that Tehran may have accepted a ceasefire proposal brokered by Qatar and backed by the US. Yet, even as Trump’s words projected optimism, the details remained murky—particularly as neither Iran nor Israel formally confirmed the agreement.
Ayatollah Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader, also weighed in with a defiant message. In a symbolic post, he shared an image of a burning US flag above a devastated warzone with the caption: “We didn’t harm anyone. And we will not accept any harassment from anyone under any circumstances.”
The situation remains fluid, but Trump’s statement has shifted global attention toward potential de-escalation—though on-the-ground realities and regional tensions suggest that true peace may still be a long road ahead.
