Trump Halts Iran Attacks, Seeks 2-Week Ceasefire Deal

Trump Halts Iran Attacks, Seeks 2-Week Ceasefire Deal

President Trump announced a dramatic shift in U.S. policy late Saturday, declaring a temporary ceasefire in Iran and walking back previous threats of massive attacks. The President stated on the social media platform Truth Social that he would suspend destructive U.S. actions for two weeks, provided Iran agrees to the safe opening of the Strait of Hormuz. This announcement comes as a significant departure from earlier threats made by the President, who had warned of devastating strikes on Iran’s civilian infrastructure.

Escalating Threats and Civilian Concerns

Earlier in the day, President Trump issued a stark warning on Truth Social: “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will.” These aggressive statements prompted scenes of civilians in Iran forming human chains on bridges and infrastructure, seemingly an effort to deter American attacks. Despite these efforts, reports and footage emerged of American and Israeli strikes within Iran, including a large fireball at a gas and chemical plant and smoke rising from an airport in Tehran. Dashcam footage also captured a missile strike on a highway near the capital.

A Ten-Point Proposal and Diplomatic Efforts

Amidst the escalating tensions and approaching an 8 p.m. Eastern Time deadline, President Trump revealed he would hold off on further destructive force if Iran agreed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. He also mentioned a ten-point proposal that he believes both parties can work with. While the President declined to discuss the specifics of last-minute negotiations, the White House confirmed awareness of a proposal from Pakistan suggesting a two-week ceasefire. A U.S. official informed NBC News that the American military had struck dozens of Iranian military targets on Haag Island overnight, without deploying ground troops.

“They’ve got to know we’ve got tools in our toolkit that we so far haven’t decided to use. The President. United States can decide to use them, and he will decide to use them. If the Iranians don’t change their course of conduct.”

International Reactions and Internal Criticism

The President’s earlier, more aggressive posts drew sharp criticism from Democrats, who called them “unhinged, bloodthirsty and pure evil.” Even some conservative figures, like Tucker Carlson, voiced concerns. Carlson questioned the impact of targeting civilian infrastructure, stating, “What happens when it loses power? Well, people die. Babies connected to incubators die, people in hospitals die.” Republican Senator Ron Johnson, an ally of the President, also expressed reservations, saying, “I do not want to see us start blowing up civilian infrastructure. We are not at war with the Iranian people. We are trying to liberate them.” When asked about potential war crimes, President Trump dismissed the concern, stating, “It’s a war crime, having a nuclear weapon, allowing a sick country with demented leadership, have a nuclear weapon. That’s a war crime.”

Regional Pause, Lingering Questions

From Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, NBC’s Keir Simmons reported that the region saw the announcement as a pause rather than an end to the tension. “We have seen more attacks in the region here from the Iranians even after that post by President Trump,” Simmons noted, suggesting that units might be operating without full knowledge of a potential ceasefire due to Iran’s complex command and control system. He added that there was likely a sigh of relief that a major escalation might be averted. However, Simmons emphasized the specific conditions set by President Trump: a two-week ceasefire contingent on the “complete, immediate and safe opening of the Strait of Hormuz.” The Iranian response to this condition remained unclear, with their previous stance being that a conflict end would only be accepted if the U.S. and Israel agreed never to attack them again. The role of Pakistan in mediating this proposal was also highlighted as a key factor.

White House Confirmation and Iranian Conditions

At the White House, Gabe Gutierrez reported that officials were awaiting Iran’s reaction to President Trump’s proposal. “The President saying that Iran has agreed to this, that that the ceasefire is pending, an Iran agreeing to that immediate and safe opening of the Strait of Hormuz. That is something that Iran has not commented on just yet,” Gutierrez explained. He noted that this was not the first time the President had extended a deadline, but the earlier, ominous post about a civilization dying had stunned the world. The White House confirmed awareness of the Pakistani proposal for a two-week ceasefire, which President Trump called a “workable basis on which to negotiate.” However, significant questions remained about the extent of actual agreement.

Differing Narratives Emerge

Courtney Kube, reporting from Washington D.C., confirmed that Iran’s Supreme National Security Council had released a statement appearing to agree to the ceasefire. However, the Iranian narrative differed significantly from the U.S. account. Iran framed the situation as the U.S. “pleading for a halt to Iran’s heavy fire.” A key point of divergence was the Strait of Hormuz. While President Trump demanded its “complete, immediate and safe opening,” Iran’s statement mentioned “controlled passage through the Strait of Hormuz, coordinated with Iran’s Armed Forces.” This suggested a less unconditional opening than the U.S. had sought.

Human Shields and Diplomatic Nuances

General Mark Kimmitt, a former Assistant Secretary of State, addressed the stark images of human chains formed around Iranian infrastructure. He noted that such tactics, seen in past conflicts, aim to deter attacks by making them potential violations of international law. “If all of their key infrastructure was surrounded by people, that would really limit the targets that the Americans could prosecute,” Kimmitt observed. Hooman Majd, an Iranian journalist and NBC News contributor, expressed doubt about a full peace deal, describing the situation as a pattern of President Trump issuing threats and then finding a way to walk them back. Majd pointed out that while the ceasefire offers a pause, the specifics of reopening the Strait of Hormuz, including potential tariffs or escort requirements, remained unclear. He also highlighted difficulties in communication and command control within Iran, suggesting that not all units might immediately receive news of a ceasefire.

Ceasefire Takes Effect, Details Remain Unclear

In a significant development, confirmation came that the U.S. military had received orders to cease all offensive operations in Iran, effective immediately. Despite this, the differing language regarding the Strait of Hormuz underscored the complexities and potential for continued friction. Iran’s ten-point plan, as outlined by Matt Bradley, an NBC international correspondent in Tel Aviv, included demands such as the withdrawal of all U.S. combat forces from the region and compensation for damages from recent attacks – terms that appeared vastly different from U.S. stated objectives. “Even though we are getting some sort of what looks like conditional agreement, it really does look like these two sides are just as far apart as they’ve ever been,” Bradley concluded.

Looking Ahead

The immediate focus shifts to whether the two-week ceasefire will hold and if genuine progress can be made on the core issues dividing the U.S. and Iran, particularly the control and passage through the Strait of Hormuz. The coming days will reveal the true extent of the agreement and whether this two-week pause can serve as a genuine off-ramp from escalating conflict or merely a temporary reprieve before further confrontation.

Source: Top Story with Tom Llamas – April 7 | NBC News NOW (YouTube)