US, Israel and Iran agree to two-week ceasefire

In a last-minute dramatic turn of events, the U.S., Israel, and Iran have agreed to a two-week ceasefire, which allowed U.S. President Donald Trump to pull back from his threats to unleash a bombing campaign that would destroy Iranian civilization. The ceasefire pauses a spiraling conflict that has upended the global economy and sparked a historic oil crisis.

Trump initially said Iran proposed a “workable” 10-point plan that could help end the war. The deal also includes the opening of the Strait of Hormuz, with the Iranian foreign minister stating that Iran’s military will coordinate the passage of vessels. However, neither Iran nor the United States said when the ceasefire would begin.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said it supports Trump’s decision to suspend strikes against Iran for two weeks, but that it doesn’t include the war with Hezbollah in Lebanon.

The dramatic shift in tenor came as intermediaries, led by Pakistan, worked feverishly to head off a further escalation of the conflict. Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif first announced the ceasefire minutes before Trump’s 8 PM EST deadline on Tuesday. He said that Iran has confirmed it will attend talks with the United States in Islamabad on Friday. It was not immediately clear who would represent Tehran at the negotiations.