The White House described the temporary truce in the Middle East, announced a little earlier by Donald Trump, as a “viable basis for negotiations”, but emphasized that “nothing is final until it is announced by the president”, reports Sky News.
The White House leader announced overnight Tuesday that attacks on Iran would be suspended for a two-week period only if the Strait of Hormuz was reopened — something Tehran later agreed to during the truce.
Following Trump's announcement, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said in a statement:
- “President Trump's words speak for themselves: this is a viable basis for negotiations, and those negotiations will continue.
- The truth is that President Trump and our powerful military have gotten Iran to agree to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and negotiations will continue.
- There is talk of face-to-face meetings, but nothing is definitive until announced by the president or the White House.“
The US president announced on Tuesday, in a message published on Truth Social, that he agrees to stop bombing Iran for two weeks and that he is ready for a ceasefire only if Tehran “fully” reopens the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
“Following discussions with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Marshal Asim Munir of Pakistan, during which they asked me to suspend tonight's planned military intervention against Iran, and on the condition that the Islamic Republic of Iran accepts the full, immediate and secure opening of the Strait of Hormuz, I agree to suspend bombing and attacks against Iran for a period of two weeks,” Trump wrote, just over an hour before his ultimatum expired.
The White House leader had threatened earlier on Tuesday to eradicate “an entire civilization” if Iran did not reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
“It will be a mutual truce!” added Trump, who said the United States “has already met and exceeded all of its military objectives” in the conflict with Iran.
Later, the head of Iranian diplomacy said that “safe transit” through the Strait of Hormuz will be possible for two weeks.
In a statement issued on behalf of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araqchi said that during the two weeks, safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz “will be possible through coordination with Iran's Armed Forces and taking into account technical limitations.”
Araqchi also said that Iran will stop its attacks if the attacks against it also stop.
