Iranian state media says two-week ceasefire agreed, talks with U.S. to begin in Islamabad on April 10

Article by Viory

Iranian state media said a two-week ceasefire was agreed and that negotiations with the United States would begin in Islamabad on April 10, after five weeks of tensions in the Middle East.

In a televised address, an anchor read a statement attributed to Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, claiming a ‘historic victory’ over the United States.

“The enemy has suffered an undeniable, historic and crushing defeat in its cowardly, illegal and criminal war against the Iranian nation. […] Iran has achieved a massive victory and has forced the criminal America to accept its ten-point plan,” said the anchor.

He also announced that the talks will begin later this week.

“These negotiations, with full distrust in the American counterpart, will begin in Islamabad on Friday, April 10, and Iran will dedicate two weeks to these negotiations. This time can be extended with the agreement of both sides,” he concluded.

It comes after Trump announced on Truth Social that he agreed “to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks,” subject to the ‘immediate’ and ‘complete’ reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, just hours before his self-imposed deadline for Iran to secure a deal.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said that Iran’s Armed Forces will ‘cease defensive operations’ if attacks against the state are halted. He added that Iran will allow ‘safe passage’ through the Strait of Hormuz for a period of two-weeks ‘via coordination with Iran’s Armed Forces’.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirmed the ceasefire in a post on X, stating: “The Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America, along with their allies, have agreed to an immediate ceasefire everywhere including Lebanon and elsewhere, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY.”

Trump had previously warned that the United States would target Iranian energy infrastructure and bridges if a ceasefire is not reached by 20:00 EST on Tuesday.

Tensions have escalated across the Middle East since the United States and Israel launched a joint military operation against Iran on February 28, amid diplomatic talks aimed at curbing ‘Iran’s nuclear and missile programmes’.

Tehran responded with retaliatory strikes on Israel and US assets in the region, with reports of explosions in several Gulf countries. Iran later confirmed the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, with his son Mojtaba Khamenei named as his successor.