US President Donald Trump has declared that the provisional two-week ceasefire with Iran is a 'total and complete victory' and that the issue of Iran's enriched uranium stockpile will be 'perfectly taken care of'. In a phone interview with Agence France-Presse, Trump stated that the uranium matter would be resolved under the deal 'or I wouldn't have settled'. This marks a shift from his earlier comments when he said he 'didn't care' about the stockpiles, arguing they could be monitored by satellite.
The ceasefire, announced hours before Trump's deadline to bomb Iranian power plants and bridges, was welcomed by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who called on all parties to work toward a lasting peace. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iran-backed factions, also announced a suspension of operations for two weeks. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu clarified that the ceasefire does not apply to fighting against Hezbollah in Lebanon, contradicting earlier statements by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Iran's supreme council has agreed to the temporary truce, with further negotiations scheduled for 10 April in Islamabad. Iran's starting points include retaining control of the Strait of Hormuz and the complete withdrawal of US forces from the region. Trump suggested that China pushed Iran toward the ceasefire, confirming reports that Beijing encouraged Tehran to agree to the halt in hostilities. The exact timing of the ceasefire remains unclear, as attacks and missile strikes continue across the region.
