'Double sided ceasefire: Trump announces US pause on Iran strikes for two weeks

Trump said the decision followed talks with Pakistani leaders and cited a 10-point Iranian proposal as “a workable basis” for negotiations, adding the pause would allow time to finalise an agreement. Based on conversations with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, of Pakistan, and wherein they requested that I hold off the destructive force being sent tonight to Iran, and subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz, I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks. This will be a double-sided CEASEFIRE! Trump said on Truth Social. 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. We received a 10 point proposal from Iran, and believe it is a workable basis on which to negotiate, Trump added. Trump said that almost all of the various points of past contention have been agreed to between the United States and Iran. Iran’s Supreme Security Council said talks with the United States will begin Friday in Islamabad after Tehran submitted its proposal via Pakistan. It added that the negotiations, expected to last up to 15 days, will address issues including Hormuz transit, sanctions relief and the withdrawal of US forces from regional bases, adding that the talks do not signal the end of the war. The council said the country had achieved a “historic” victory in the war and forced the United States to accept a 10-point proposal. The council said the plan includes guarantees of non-aggression, continued Iranian control over the Strait of Hormuz, sanctions relief and the withdrawal of U.S. forces from the region. The statement also said Iran and allied groups had inflicted major losses on their adversaries and warned that unity at home remains essential as details of any agreement are finalised. Plea from Pakistan Pakistan had issued a last-minute plea for a two-week extension for negotiations to end the US-Israeli war on Iran, before the end of President Donald Trump’s 8 pm EST deadline to destroy the country’s “whole civilization”. To allow diplomacy to run its course, I earnestly request President Trump to extend the deadline for two weeks, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on X on Tuesday, as he requested that Iran allow the Strait of Hormuz to reopen to all traffic during that time. Sharif called for a two-week ceasefire as negotiations progressed. We also urge all warring parties to observe a ceasefire everywhere for two weeks to allow diplomacy to achieve conclusive termination of war, in the interest of long-term peace and stability in the region, Sharif wrote. The President has been made aware of the proposal, and a response will come, press secretary Karoline Leavitt told AFP in a statement when asked about Pakistan's request. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held a phone call with his Pakistani counterpart, Mohammad Ishaq Dar, on Tuesday, as Trump's deadline approached, Reuters reported. In addition, a United Nations envoy is en route to Tehran for negotiations, Amir-Saeid Iravani, Iran’s envoy to the body, said on Tuesday. Earlier in the day, Russia and China vetoed a UN Security Council resolution put forward by Bahrain to pursue military action to end Iran's control of the Strait of Hormuz. The stock market closed slightly higher on news of Pakistan's request. The Dow industrials ended the day down 0.2 percent while the Nasdaq composite rose 0.1 percent. War on Iran News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0