The US and Iran have agreed a ceasefire, with talks to bridge the gulf between them. Here’s what to know
By Jessie Yeung, CNN
(CNN) — After a month and a half of spiraling conflict in the Middle East, the United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire on Tuesday – less than two hours before US President Donald Trump’s deadline, after which he had promised to wipe out a “whole civilization.”
That threat, which critics warned could be a war crime if carried out, appears to have been staved off for now at the 11th hour. But there remains a gulf between the two countries, who each portrayed the temporary truce as a victory for their nations.
The ceasefire is a starting point for further negotiations, and it remains to be seen what final terms may be included in a proposal to definitively end a war that has upended the Middle East and caused a historic global oil disruption.
Here’s what we know.
What have the US and Israel said?
Trump announced the ceasefire in a Truth Social post, saying it was made on the condition that Iran agree to reopen the critical Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil flows.
The ceasefire had been mediated by Pakistan’s prime minister and its military chief, he said. Iran had put forth a 10-point proposal, which the US views as “a workable basis on which to negotiate,” Trump added.
The next two weeks will allow a final agreement to be drawn up, he said.
In an interview with AFP news agency Tuesday, Trump described the deal as “total and complete victory.” But he would not say whether he would fulfill his prior threats to destroy Iran’s civilian infrastructure if Tehran reneged on the agreement, only saying: “You’re going to have to see.”
And in a later Truth Social post just past midnight, he said the US would be “helping with the traffic buildup in the Strait of Hormuz,” adding: “Big money will be made.”
US sources told CNN that the Trump administration is preparing for potential in-person negotiations, likely in Islamabad – where Pakistan’s prime minister has invited both sides to send delegations.
Israel is part of the ceasefire and will also suspend bombing against Iran, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said.
But it also claimed Lebanon is not part of the ceasefire – contradicting Pakistan’s prime minister, who said it was. Trump made no mention of Lebanon in his statement.
What has Iran said?
Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, said that if attacks against Iran stop, Iranian operations will cease as well.
The country’s military will coordinate safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz during the ceasefire, he added in a post on X.
Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency reported that Iran and Oman plan to charge transit fees for vessels passing through the strait during the ceasefire, with the funds earmarked for reconstruction. CNN has asked Oman’s foreign ministry for comment.
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, the country’s top security body, had a more fiery statement – saying it had forced the US to accept its 10-point plan as a basis for talks and described the ceasefire as an “enduring defeat” for Washington.
It also referenced possible talks in Islamabad – warning that “should the slightest error be committed by the enemy, it shall be met with full force.”
What are the terms of the ceasefire?
Araghchi said in his statement that while Washington had accepted the “general framework” of Iran’s 10-point proposal as a “basis for negotiations,” Iran was in turn considering a 15-point proposal from the US.
The full details of the 15-point US plan have not been published but it is believed to include: Iran committing to no nuclear weapons, handing over its highly enriched uranium, limits on Tehran’s defense capabilities, an end to regional proxy groups and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Other points on the table include an acknowledgment of Israel’s right to exist, the two regional sources said.
Iran had previously rejected the 15-point plan, with one official describing the demands as “largely excessive, unrealistic and unreasonable” on Monday – despite Trump claiming in late March that Tehran had agreed to “most of” the points.
While the White House has not detailed what Iran’s 10-point proposal consists of, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council laid out key parts of the plan.
CNN obtained the statement from Iranian officials. It was also reported on by multiple Iranian state media outlets.
It included regulating passage through the Strait of Hormuz; terminating attacks on Iran and its regional proxy forces; the withdrawal of US forces from the region; compensation to Iran; the lifting of international sanctions and unfreezing of assets; and a binding UN resolution to secure any ultimate peace deal.
Some versions of the security council’s statement that were widely distributed by Iranian state media in both Farsi and in English also include a claim by Iran of a right to nuclear enrichment.
Iran’s embassy in India also posted a breakdown of the 10 points on its verified X account that included “acceptance of enrichment.”
CNN has reached out to US officials and Iran’s foreign’s ministry for further comment.
In his interview with AFP, Trump said Iran’s uranium would be “perfectly taken care of or I wouldn’t have settled.”
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CNN’s Jeremy Diamond, Lex Harvey, Lauren Izso, Alayna Treene, Kristen Holmes, Zachary Cohen, Kit Maher, Matthew Chance, Todd Symons and Sophia Saifi contributed reporting.
