US and Iran Agree to Two-Week Ceasefire Amidst Islamabad Talks

Islamabad. Amidst prolonged tensions and military confrontations, Iran and the United States have agreed to a two-week ceasefire. Iran's National Security Council issued a statement on Wednesday announcing that formal talks with Washington will commence this coming Friday in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan.

This agreement follows US President Donald Trump's decision to temporarily suspend his previous threat to destroy Iranian civilization and halt attacks for two weeks. A primary condition of this ceasefire is that Iran must immediately and fully reopen the 'Strait of Hormuz,' a critical global oil route.

Following attacks by the US and Israel on February 28, Iran had imposed a partial blockade on the Hormuz waterway, leading to global fuel shortages and a sharp rise in oil prices. The conflict escalated regionally after Lebanon's Hezbollah and Yemen's Houthi rebels became involved in Iran's retaliatory strikes.

At this critical juncture, President Trump claimed that the US has achieved all its military objectives and stated that they are very close to a long-term peace agreement with Iran. He has accepted Iran's 10-point proposal as a suitable basis for negotiations and expressed confidence that it will be finalized within two weeks.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also clarified that if attacks on Iran cease, their armed forces will halt defensive operations. He noted that the environment for talks was created because Trump accepted the framework of Iran's 10-point proposal.

Meanwhile, Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stated that this ceasefire will be effective immediately across all regions, including Lebanon, and expressed his eagerness to welcome both delegations to Islamabad on April 10. Pakistan also thanked both sides for the opportunity to mediate these historic talks.

However, these negotiations and the agreement appear highly challenging. Iran's 10-point proposal includes conditions such as maintaining Iranian dominance in the Hormuz waterway, the removal of all US military bases in the Middle East, and full compensation for war damages. Additionally, there are demands for the lifting of all international sanctions against Iran and the release of frozen Iranian assets.

The Iranian Security Council has expressed 'complete distrust' toward the US side, warning that if the enemy makes even the slightest mistake, they will retaliate with full force.