By Fanuel Chinowaita
WASHINGTON/Tehran — The United States and Iran agreed to a conditional two-week ceasefire and safe passage for shipping through the Strait of Hormuz just ten minutes before President Donald Trump’s 8 p.m. ET deadline expired, Pakistani mediators announced late Tuesday.
Trump had warned he would unleash attacks that would cause “a whole civilisation will die tonight” if Tehran did not agree to terms by 20:00 EDT. With minutes remaining, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif declared the ceasefire “EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY.”
Under the agreement, Iran’s military will coordinate “safe passage” for vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for roughly 20% of globally traded oil. In exchange, Trump agreed to suspend U.S. bombing campaigns against Iran for two weeks.
“If attacks against Iran are halted, we will agree to an end in fighting,” Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said following the announcement.
Trump confirmed he accepted the proposed ceasefire, pointing to progress on a 10-point plan previously submitted by Tehran. The U.S. has halted all offensive operations inside Iran, a senior U.S. official told the BBC.
Despite the agreement between Washington and Tehran, strikes on U.S. Gulf allies appeared to be ongoing. The United Arab Emirates’ Ministry of Defence said the country was “currently dealing with missile attacks and incoming drones from Iran,” with air defence systems intercepting incoming projectiles.
Saudi Arabia activated emergency alerts across its eastern region, including Riyadh, warning of “a potential danger.” Residents were advised to shelter.
Pakistan, which has been acting as a mediator, called on Trump to extend his deadline by two weeks and has invited both sides for talks in Islamabad on Friday. The intervention gave both Trump and Iran “a ladder to climb down,” according to the BBC’s State Department correspondent.
Earlier Tuesday, Iranian state media reported two people were killed after a strike on a bridge in Kashan, hours after Israel warned Iranians not to take trains “for the sake of your security.”
Tehran immediately claimed victory, saying it forced the United States to accept its terms, including the lifting of sanctions and recognition of Iran’s nuclear enrichment program. The White House has not confirmed any agreement on those points, saying only that diplomatic discussions would begin within 48 hours.
— Updated 02:16 GMT, April 8, 2026