 "US President Donald Trump addresses the nation, alongside US Vice President JD Vance, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth (R), from the White House in Washington, following the announcement that the US bombed nuclear sites in Iran. AFP")
US President Donald Trump on Monday announced that the “12-day war” between Israel and Iran would end in a ceasefire that will be phased in over next 24 hours. He showcased the announcement as a proof that his decision to launch major airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear sites was the right move.
“It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE ,” Trump wrote on social media. However, neither Israel nor Iran has publicly confirmed the agreement, and details of the deal remain unclear.
The White House shared Trump’s announcement along with a photo of him holding a red cap reading, “TRUMP WAS RIGHT ABOUT EVERYTHING.”
While a ceasefire would be a relief for the region, tensions in the Middle East remain high. The recent US and Israeli strikes on Iran likely disrupted its nuclear program, but experts warn they may have also increased Tehran’s determination to pursue a nuclear weapon.
According to Trump, the ceasefire would begin with Iran, followed by Israel 12 hours later. He said both sides would “remain PEACEFUL and RESPECTFUL,” and the truce would be fully in place within 24 hours, starting at midnight Washington time.
“This is a war that could have gone on for years and destroyed the entire Middle East — but it didn’t, and never will,” Trump said.
The Trump administration had earlier said that Iran must give up its uranium enrichment program if lasting peace is to be achieved.
Though the airstrikes on Iran’s Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear sites were a show of strength, it remains uncertain how much enriched material Iran still holds — or how it plans to move forward.