President Donald Trump claimed his promised ceasefire between Israel and Iran was officially in effect early Tuesday morning despite doubts over whether it will hold.
“THE CEASEFIRE IS NOW IN EFFECT. PLEASE DO NOT VIOLATE IT!” Trump pleaded on Truth Social, even though the status remained unclear.
Iran’s foreign minister had said in response to Trump’s ceasefire announcement that his country had yet to make a “final decision” on its military’s course of action after Trump proclaimed that it had agreed to a ceasefire with Israel.
ADVERTISEMENT
Several hours later, Iranian state TV reported a ceasefire had begun. However, Israel claimed Iran continued to send missiles after the proposed ceasefire time, warning the public to take shelter. Four people died after an earlier Iranian missile attack struck a building in the city of Beersheba, according to the Associated Press.
Under the terms described by the president on Monday, the ceasefire would bring an end to missile strikes from both sides in a matter of hours. The hostilities began on June 13 when Israel attacked Iranian military and nuclear facilities.
“It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE (in approximately 6 hours from now, when Israel and Iran have wound down and completed their in progress, final missions!), for 12 hours, at which point the War will be considered, ENDED!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Trump said that Iran would begin a ceasefire first, followed by Israel 12 hours later.
“During each CEASEFIRE, the other side will remain PEACEFUL and RESPECTFUL,” he wrote. “On the assumption that everything works as it should, which it will, I would like to congratulate both Countries, Israel and Iran, on having the Stamina, Courage, and Intelligence to end, what should be called, ‘THE 12 DAY WAR.’”
When asked on Monday about the ceasefire’s duration, Trump had high hopes.
“I think the ceasefire is unlimited. It’s going to go forever,” he told NBC News reporter Yamiche Alcindor. “I don’t believe they will ever be shooting at each other again.”
Trump added: “It’s a great day for America. It’s a great day for the Middle East. I’m very happy to have been able to get the job done. A lot of people were dying and it was only going to get worse.”
But things weren’t looking positive hours later.
Emergency flights were delayed and some planes were forced to circle over the Mediterranean Sea as missile launches from Iran were still being detected after Trump’s ceasefire deadline for Iran, according to the Associated Press.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi had said that any cessation of strikes by his country was contingent on Israel adhering to the agreement’s provisions.
“As Iran has repeatedly made clear: Israel launched war on Iran, not the other way around,” he posted on X several hours after Trump’s initial ceasefire announcement.
“As of now, there is NO ‘agreement’ on any ceasefire or cessation of military operations,” Araghchi continued. “However, provided that the Israeli regime stops its illegal aggression against the Iranian people no later than 4 am Tehran time, we have no intention to continue our response afterwards. The final decision on the cessation of our military operations will be made later.”
In a follow-up post, Araghchi said that the “military operations of our powerful Armed Forces to punish Israel for its aggression continued until the very last minute, at 4am” local time.
“Together with all Iranians, I thank our brave Armed Forces who remain ready to defend our dear country until their last drop of blood, and who responded to any attack by the enemy until the very last minute,” he added.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Trump was still posting incessantly on Truth Social late into Monday night, claiming in one missive that “Israel & Iran came to me, almost simultaneously, and said, ‘PEACE!’
“I knew the time was NOW. The World, and the Middle East, are the real WINNERS! Both Nations will see tremendous LOVE, PEACE, AND PROSPERITY in their futures,” he added.
In another, he suggested his attack on Iran brought about the ceasefire.
“In a certain and very ironic way, that perfect ‘hit,’ late in the evening, brought everyone together, and the deal was made!!!” he wrote.
Trump’s statement came hours after Iran fired missiles at a U.S. air base in Qatar in retaliation for its involvement in strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites over the weekend. No one was injured in the strikes.
Early Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that Israel had agreed to the ceasefire announced by Trump, saying his country had achieved all its war goals over the 12 days of attacks. He also warned that “Israel will respond forcefully to any violation” of the deal.
In Washington, House Speaker Mike Johnson said the ceasefire was “a big sigh of relief here on Capitol Hill.
“We certainly hope and pray and trust that Iran will end its nuclear enrichment program,” he told reporters. “They’ll heed the calls of the rest of the world and that we can have peace in the Middle East and peace in Israel.”
Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance said on Fox News minutes after Trump’s announcement that they had been working on a statement earlier Monday afternoon.
“We were actually working on that just as I left the White House to come over here. So that’s good news, that the president was able to get that across the finish line,” Vance said.
Vance also echoed Trump’s claim that the U.S. military’s bombing of nuclear sites over the weekend prevented Iran building a nuclear weapon, even though Israeli sources have said Iran moved uranium before the attacks.
“Iran is incapable of building a nuclear weapon with the equipment they have, because we destroyed it,” he argued.
That mission, one military official told The New York Times, was carried out despite Trump himself being the “biggest threat to opsec,” meaning operational security, due to his social media posts telegraphing the bombings.
Nevertheless, Trump has moved on.
“Congratulations, world,” Trump wrote in all-caps a few hours before announcing the ceasefire. “It’s time for peace!”
