Donald Trump at the White House on 6 April. The US and Iran have agreed to a two-week conditional ceasefire. Photograph: The Washington Post/Getty
US president abandons threat for Iran to surrender or face destruction with last-minute intervention led by Pakistan
The US and Iran agreed to a two-week conditional ceasefire on Tuesday evening, which included a temporary reopening of the strait of Hormuz, after a last-minute diplomatic intervention led by Pakistan, canceling an ultimatum from Donald Trump for Iran to surrender or face widespread destruction.
Trump’s announcement of the ceasefire agreement came less than two hours before the US president’s self-imposed 8pm Eastern time deadline to bomb Iran’s power plants and bridges in a move that legal scholars, as well as officials from numerous countries and the pope, had warned could constitute war crimes.
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For several hours afterwards, Israel’s position or agreement with the deal was unclear. But just before midnight ET, the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said Israel backed the US ceasefire with Iran but that the deal did not cover fighting against Hezbollah in Lebanon. His office said Israel also supported US efforts to ensure Iran no longer posed a nuclear or missile threat.
Pakistan’s prime minister had previously said that the agreed ceasefire covered “everywhere including Lebanon”.
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Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, issued a statement shortly after Trump’s announcement saying Iran had agreed to the ceasefire. “For a period of two weeks, safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be possible via coordinating with Iran’s Armed Forces,” he wrote. …
For several hours afterwards, Israel’s position or agreement with the deal was unclear. But just before midnight ET, the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said Israel backed the US ceasefire with Iran but that the deal did not cover fighting against Hezbollah in Lebanon. His office said Israel also supported US efforts to ensure Iran no longer posed a nuclear or missile threat.
Pakistan’s prime minister had previously said that the agreed ceasefire covered “everywhere including Lebanon”.
Iranians protest against American and Israeli aggression and US President Donald Trump in Tehran on February 11, 2026. (Photo by AFP via Getty Images)
Iran “has not been and will never be the one to initiate attacks on civilian targets,” said one Iranian military commander, but Tehran “will not hesitate to retaliate against despicable aggression on civilian facilities.”
Iran on Tuesday responded to US President Donald Trump’s threat to destroy its civilization by warning that further attacks on its civilian infrastructure would trigger a crushing response that “will exceed the region’s boundaries.”
Trump’s rhetoric has grown increasing genocidal as his Tuesday night deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz draws nearer, writing on his Truth Social network that “a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again,” if no deal is reached on the resumption of all shipping in the vital waterway, through which about 20% of the world’s oil passes.
In response, Brig. Gen. Seyyed Majid Mousavi, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force, declared the start of a “new phase” of operations aimed at deterring further US-Israeli escalation by preparing in-kind attacks.
BREAKING: Iran's IRGC Statement:
"Self-restraint is over. Our response will now be carried out without any consideration, depriving the U.S. and it's allies of oil and gas for years.
If the U.S. Army crosses red lines, our response will exceed the region’s boundaries."
Iran “has not been and will never be the one to initiate attacks on civilian targets,” Mousavi said, warning that Tehran “will not hesitate to retaliate against despicable aggression on civilian facilities.”
Mousavi added that should Trump follow through on his threat, the IRGC “will inflict such damage on the infrastructure of the US and its partners that they will be deprived of the region’s oil and gas for years to come.”
Iranian Ambassador to the United Nations Amir-Saeid Iravani said Tuesday: “Iran will not stand idle in the face of such egregious war crimes. It will exercise, without hesitation, its inherent right of self-defense and will take immediate and proportionate reciprocal measures.”
Even as US and Israeli bombing has killed around 2,000 Iranians since February 28—including hundreds of women and children—Tehran has insisted that it does not want to retaliate against American civilians, who Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi recently said “overwhelmingly voted to end involvement in costly foreign wars.”
While Iran has responded to US and Israeli bombing of civilian sites with measured missile and drone strikes on energy and economic targets in Israel and Gulf nations allied with the United States, Tehran has notably abstained from carrying out retaliatory attacks on US civilians.
Iranian officials have also shown a surreal penchant for pairing ominous brinkmanship with defiantly deadpan trolling.
Following Trump’s Sunday ultimatum for Tehran to “open the Fuckin’ Strait, you crazy bastards,” Iran’s Embassy in Zimbabwe quipped, “We’ve lost the keys.”
To which the Iranian Embassy in South Africareplied, “Shh… the key’s under the flowerpot.”
Highlighting Tehran’s policy of allowing ships from friendly nations to pass through the Strait of Hormuz—and throwing in a barb referring to the late child sex criminal and former Trump friend Jeffrey Epstein—Iran’s Embassy in Bulgaria posted: “Door’s open for friends. Epstein’s friends need keys.”
Echoing calls from across the US political spectrum, Iran’s Embassy in South Africa on Sunday urged congressional leaders to “seriously think about the 25th Amendment,” which allows for the dismissal of a president who is incapacitated, unable, or unwilling to perform their duties.
Iran’s UK Embassy chimed in with a quote from the iconic American author—and ardent anti-imperialist—Mark Twain: “It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.”
Ordinary Iranians, meanwhile, shrugged off Trump’s threat while trying to go about their lives the best they could under the circumstances.
“The first thing that came to my mind is that I think Trump is under a lot of pressure, and that he has lost his mind,” a Tehran resident who gave only her first name, Lili, told The New York Times on Tuesday, adding that the US-Israeli war has got Iranians rallying behind a government despised by millions of her compatriots.
“So now, we are supporting Iran and whatever government is running it,” she said.
Iranian businessman Pedram Soltani said in a social media message to Americans, “Your president has now placed not only Iran, but also America and the entire world at a tremendous risk.”
“If he pushes the war with Iran toward the destruction of bridges and power plants, more than 90 million people in Iran will be severely affected, and a humanitarian catastrophe will unfold,” Soltani continued, referring to Trump’s threat to attack such sites, which would be a war crime.
“Consequently, the war spreads further across the Middle East, and critical energy infrastructure in the region will be damaged,” he said. “This will trigger a surge in the prices of oil, petrochemicals, metals, and other essential commodities. The consequences will hit you and billions of others, through skyrocketing fuel prices and widespread food inflation.”
“At the same time, the United States will become one of the most hated countries in the world,” Soltani added.
Donald Fuhrump says that Amerikkka doesn’t bother with crimes or charges anymore, not being 100% Amerikkkan and opposing his real estate intentions is enough.Donald Trump sings and dances, says that it’s fun to kill everyone …Orcas discuss Donald Trump and the killer apes’ concept of democracy. Front Orca warns that Trump is crashing his country’s economy and that everything he does he does for the fantastically wealthy.
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Significant sections of the B1 Bridge are seen destroyed after an airstrike attributed to the United States and Israel targeted the site near Tehran, in Karaj, Iran, on April 03, 2026. [Fatemeh Bahrami – Anadolu Agency]
Iran has issued a stark warning that the region could descend into severe escalation if attacks on its infrastructure continue, according to statements by Ebrahim Zolfaghari, spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters.
Zolfaghari said that the region would become a “hell for enemies” if attacks against Iranian infrastructure expand, adding that expectations of defeating Iran have turned into a “quagmire” for the United States.
The warning comes amid reports citing Israeli sources about preparations to target Iranian energy facilities. In response, Iranian media, including Tasnim News Agency, quoted sources close to decision-making circles as saying that two major power plants supplying electricity to Israel have been added to a list of potential targets.
According to those sources, the move is part of a “reciprocal response” strategy, reflecting full readiness to respond to any attack on Iran’s vital infrastructure.
Zolfaghari also said that threats by Donald Trump against Iranian infrastructure indicate confusion and desperation, stressing that Iran’s armed forces would not hesitate to defend national resources and respond to any aggression.
He warned that any escalation would be met with a decisive and unrestricted response, including continuous and large-scale strikes targeting infrastructure used by the United States and Israel.
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/Donald Trump calls for help from NATO allies in securing the Straight of Hormuz despite saying on 7 March 2026 that they don’t need people to join wars after they’ve already won. He’s challenged with the claim that he lies as much as the IDF.
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A general view of the giant banner hung Enghelab Square that reads, “The Strait of Hormuz will remain closed; the entire Persian Gulf is our hunting ground.” as daily life continues in Tehran, Iran on April 05, 2026. [Fatemeh Bahrami – Anadolu Agency]
The naval command of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said the Strait of Hormuz will never return to its previous state, particularly for the United States and Israel.
In a statement posted on its account on the X platform, the naval command said its forces are completing operational preparations to implement a plan approved by Iranian officials, aimed at establishing what it described as a new order in the Gulf, according to the Russian state-owned news agency Sputnik.
Earlier, Seyed Mehdi Tabatabaei, deputy head of the Iranian president’s office for communications and media, said that US President Donald Trump had “recklessly ignited a full-scale war in the region and continues to boast about it.”
He added on his account on X on Sunday that Trump had resorted to insults and “nonsense out of desperation and intense anger”.
Tabatabaei also said that fully reopening the Strait of Hormuz would be conditional on compensation for all damages caused by what he described as the imposed war, noting that this would be carried out under a new legal system partly based on transit revenues.
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Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/Donald Trump calls for help from NATO allies in securing the Straight of Hormuz despite saying on 7 March 2026 that they don’t need people to join wars after they’ve already won. He’s challenged with the claim that he lies as much as the IDF.
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Former European Commissioner Thierry Breton. [Dursun Aydemir – Anadolu Agency]
Former European Commissioner Thierry Breton said on Monday that Iran holds the keys to war and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz depends on its will, despite ongoing threats from US President Donald Trump, Anadolu Agency reports.
“Those who hold the keys are the Iranians, whether we like it or not,” Breton told French broadcaster BFM TV.
Stressing that Tehran is in a position of strength, he noted that Iranians organized themselves and were not alone in the war with China supplying components and expertise.
Breton said Iran “has entered an asymmetric war” with “the best army in the world,” but warned that US reserves are dwindling.
“Since the start of hostilities, the equivalent of two years’ production of Patriot missile system has been used up. The Pentagon is starting to worry,” he added.
Highlighting that Tehran has been preparing for this for 40 years, Breton further stressed that Trump is “under pressure, particularly from voters.”
The region has been on alert since the US and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, killing more than 1,400 people to date, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel as well as Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries hosting US military assets. It has also restricted the movement of ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
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Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/Donald Trump calls for help from NATO allies in securing the Straight of Hormuz despite saying on 7 March 2026 that they don’t need people to join wars after they’ve already won. He’s challenged with the claim that he lies as much as the IDF.
