In a dramatic diplomatic breakthrough on April 7-8, 2026, the United States and Iran announced a two-week ceasefire, halting weeks of devastating military strikes that had shaken the Middle East to its core. President Donald Trump declared that the US would suspend all bombing and attacks on Iran for two weeks, after Tehran agreed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz — the world’s most critical oil shipping lane — which had been blockaded for weeks during the conflict. The announcement sent global oil prices crashing and brought cautious relief to financial markets worldwide, even as deep uncertainty remained about whether the pause could lead to a lasting peace.
The Ceasefire Deal: What Was Agreed
President Trump announced the agreement on Tuesday evening, April 7, 2026, just ahead of a self-imposed 8 p.m. ET deadline that had sent alarm bells ringing across global capitals. Trump had earlier threatened in a social media post that a “whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again” if Iran did not reach a deal, sparking international fears of nuclear escalation. In the end, a last-minute agreement was reached. The core of the deal was straightforward: Iran agreed to the complete, immediate, and safe opening of the Strait of Hormuz, and in return, the United States suspended all bombing and attacks on Iran for a period of two weeks. Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi confirmed Tehran’s position in a statement, saying Iran would cease its defensive operations if attacks against Iran were halted. He added that for a period of two weeks, safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz would be possible via coordination with Iran’s Armed Forces and with due consideration of technical limitations. Trump described the deal as a “double-sided ceasefire” and said his top priority had been reopening the Strait. “Iran has agreed to the complete immediate and safe opening of the Strait and that’s why I agreed to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks,” Trump stated. A White House official confirmed that Israel also agreed to the two-week ceasefire, though Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu immediately clarified that the ceasefire did not extend to Lebanon.