US president Donald Trump has announced a suspension of the threatened bombing of Iran’s energy infrastructure and bridges for two weeks.
In a post on the Truth Social platform, he said that it is conditional on Tehran reopening the Strait of Hormuz, calling it a double-sided ceasefire.
He said Iran has proposed a 10-point plan that provided “a workable basis on which to negotiate”.
The move came in response to a request by Pakistan, which has been acting as a mediator in the conflict between the warring sides.
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“The reason for doing so is that we have already met and exceeded all Military objectives, and are very far along with a definitive Agreement concerning Longterm PEACE with Iran, and PEACE in the Middle East,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
Israel has also agreed to the two-week ceasefire and to suspend its bombing campaign, according to the White House.
Earlier on Tuesday, Trump had pushed his war rhetoric to new heights, warning that “a whole civilisation will die” if Iran did not open the strait to shipping.
The US president had given a deadline of 1am Irish time on Wednesday for Iran to open the narrow passage through which 20 per cent of the world’s oil supply is shipped. Iran blocked the strait after it was attacked by the US and Israel at the end of February.
In an earlier statement on Truth Social, Trump said: “A whole civilisation will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will.”
Former US state department legal adviser Brian Finucane, now with the International Crisis Group, had said Trump’s remarks “could plausibly be interpreted as a threat to commit genocide” under US and international law.
[ Middle East on brink again as Iran rejects ceasefire planOpens in new window ]
Trump has repeatedly threatened to attack Iran’s energy infrastructure and bridges if it does not comply with US demands to open the strait. Iran has insisted the waterway can only be opened to all international shipping as part of a comprehensive agreement and not a temporary truce.
Tehran had threatened to strike beyond the Middle East if the US “crosses red lines”. Moreover, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned neighbouring countries that “restraint is over” in light of the US threats.
[ Trump ratchets up pressure on Iran to reopen Strait of HormuzOpens in new window ]
Meanwhile, as the war entered its 39th day, the US launched strikes at more than 50 targets on Kharg Island, which handles some 90 per cent of Tehran’s oil exports. US officials said the strikes did not target Iranian oil facilities.
The United States has already carried out extensive air raids on military targets on the island. And there is speculation that troops may occupy Kharg, which lies off the Strait of Hormuz coast, if ground troops are utilised.
Israel attacked several railway lines and bridges after warning Iranians not to use trains. The US and Israel also bombed an international airport in Iran’s western city of Khorramabad.
There were reports in Iran that a synagogue in central Tehran was destroyed by the US and Israeli air strikes.
Iran fired ballistic missiles with cluster warheads at Tel Aviv, Israel’s two main airports and the West Bank. Several detonations were reported.
At a meeting of the UN Security Council, Russia and China vetoed a Bahraini resolution calling for the Strait of Hormuz to be reopened.
The London Times newspaper reported that Iran’s supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is unconscious and being treated for a “severe” medical issue in the holy city of Qom, rendering him unable to govern the country. The Times said the report was based on US-Israeli intelligence that was shared with their Gulf allies.
