Trump says Iran and Israel to have a phased-in ceasefire over 24 hours

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump announced Monday that the 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran would conclude with a ceasefire. He used the statement as justification for his calculated risk of authorizing a catastrophic U.S. airstrike on three Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend.

Trump wrote on social media that “Israel and Iran have fully agreed that there will be a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE.” The parameters of the announced agreement were unclear, and neither nation immediately provided an update on the truce.

The White House republished Trump’s proclamation in all capital letters, along with a picture of the president sporting a red hat that said, “Trump was right about everything.”

The globe and the region would both be happy to see a ceasefire. However, the Middle East situation is far from stable, and it was impossible to forecast the potential impact on longer-term trends. The bombing of Iran by the United States and Israel has undoubtedly hampered Iran’s ability to enrich nuclear material, but it may have also strengthened Tehran’s determination to develop a bomb.

According to Trump’s description, the truce would begin with Iran and be joined by Israel twelve hours later. The president said that the parties will continue to be PEACEFUL and RESPECTFUL. The phased-in truce was scheduled to end within 24 hours after starting at about midnight Washington time.

This war has the potential to last for years and wipe out the Middle East, but it hasn’t and never will! Trump stated.

Apart from the timeline that Trump mentioned, it was unclear what the precise conditions of the truce would be. As a need for any long-term peace, the Trump administration demanded on Sunday that Iran halt its program to enrich uranium for potential use in nuclear weapons. Although the Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan strikes were a potent display of force, it was unclear how much nuclear material Iran still had and what its future goals would be.

In a television interview shortly after the truce was declared, Vice President JD Vance stated that the world would consider the conflict between Israel and Iran, as well as the American bombing of Iran’s nuclear installations, as a significant turning point for the entire region.

The vice president stated during an appearance on Fox News Channel’s Special Report that the Trump administration hoped the Iranians had learned a crucial lesson: they will have to face the extremely strong American military once more if they ever want to develop a nuclear weapon.

Following Iran’s effort to launch a missile strike on Monday against a significant U.S. military facility in the Gulf state of Qatar in retaliation for the U.S. attack, a truce was declared. On social media, Trump praised Iran separately for alerting the United States and its friends to the impending retaliation.

The president said he hoped the moment will result in a de-escalation of the Israel-Iran conflict due to Tehran’s retaliation for the U.S. attack of three important Iranian nuclear sites.

Trump posted on social media, saying, “I am happy to report that NO Americans were harmed and hardly any damage was done.” I would like to express my gratitude to Iran for providing us with advance notice, which allowed for the avoidance of fatalities and injuries. I will strongly urge Israel to follow suit, and perhaps Iran can now move forward toward peace and harmony in the region.

Since Trump ordered strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, Tehran has not directly retaliated against the United States until the attack on U.S. personnel at Qatar’s Al Udeid Air Base.

Former President Barack Obama’s defense secretary and CIA director Leon Panetta claimed that Iran’s muted response indicates that their capacity to react has likely been seriously harmed. He added that it might be an indication that they have no intention of intensifying the conflict with the US or Israel.

Trump said that Iran had fired 14 missiles against the base, a large complex that served as a key staging area for the American battles in Iraq and Afghanistan and is home to the forward headquarters of the Central Command. Approximately 8,000 American soldiers now occupy the facility, compared to roughly 10,000 during the height of the conflicts.

According to the president, one of the Iranian missiles was released because it was traveling in a nonthreatening direction, while the other 13 were destroyed by American air defense systems.

The U.S. Embassy in Qatar posted a warning on its website only hours before Iran launched its strike on Monday, asking Americans living in the energy-rich country to remain indoors until further notice. To close its crowded airspace, the Qatari government issued an exceptional order.

The incident occurred as international markets were attempting to predict the future following the U.S.’s weekend bombardment of critical Iranian nuclear sites with 30,000-pound bunker-busting bombs and Tomahawk missiles.

About 20% of the world’s oil and gas travel through the Strait of Hormuz, a tiny shipping channel in the Persian Gulf, which Iran’s parliament has approved closing. The action could result in a global increase in the price of goods and services since Iran’s national security council would have to determine whether to proceed with the plan.

Although many energy analysts were doubtful that Iran would have blocked the shipping channels since doing so may have angered China, the biggest consumer of Iranian petroleum, Trump’s post made no mention of what would happen with regard to commerce in the Strait of Hormuz.

In response to the tensions, the financial markets seemed to remain relatively tranquil. Oil prices were almost back to their pre-conflict levels by Monday afternoon, which had started more than a week ago.

Earlier on Monday, Trump urged the United States and its allies that produce oil to increase oil production and maintain low oil prices.

Prior to Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the United States and its allies put pressure on Russia by threatening its oil industry. In response, numerous Western oil corporations withdrew from Ukraine, and the U.S. and Europe slapped sanctions on Russian industry.

Following Russia’s invasion, oil and food prices skyrocketed, leading to inflation that weakened then-President Joe Biden’s public support and paved the way for Trump to win the presidency again in last year’s election.

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By Chris Megerian, Josh Boak, and Aamer Madhani The Associated Press

Reporting was done by Associated Press writers Eric Tucker and Matthew Lee in Washington, Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Stan Choe in New York.