President Donald Trump announced a two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran on April 7, about 90 minutes before the 8 p.m. deadline to destroy Iran’s energy and transportation systems if it does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
“We agree to a two-week moratorium on bombing and attacks on Iran,” President Trump said in a statement on social media.
The ceasefire announcement marks the fourth time since the war began on February 28 that President Trump has delayed the deadline he set for Iran.
The April 7 agreement was announced nearly 11 hours after President Trump escalated his threats against Iran to include annihilation. “An entire civilization will perish tonight and we will never get it back. I don’t want it to happen, but it probably will,” Trump posted at 8:06 a.m. EDT.
How President Trump Threatened and Postponed, Iran attack
- March 21st: President Trump gives to Iran 48 hours It has demanded the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and said Iran’s power grid will be attacked if the regime fails to comply.
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- March 23rd: President Trump postpones threatened attack 5 days left Until March 28th.
- March 26th: President Trump extends the postponement until April 6th. 10 days left.
- April 4th: President Trump on social media says Iran is 48 hours (until April 6) before “all hell reigns.”
- April 5th: On Easter Sunday, President Trump posted an expletive-laced threat: “Tuesday is Power Plant Day and Bridge Day rolled into one in Iran.” Tuesday is April 7th.
President Trump said the April 7 cease-fire agreement hinged on Iran allowing crude oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, which is used to transport much of the world’s oil.
“This will be a two-sided ceasefire! The reason for it is because we have already met and exceeded all our military goals and are much closer to a final agreement for long-term peace with Iran and peace in the Middle East,” Trump wrote.
A White House official told USA TODAY that Israel would also join the ceasefire if Iran opened the strait. Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi said in a statement that the country would abide by the ceasefire “if attacks on Iran are stopped.”
Contributors Michael Loria, Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, Christopher Cann, Francesca Chambers, Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY
SOURCE USA TODAY NETWORK REPORTS AND INVESTIGATIONS. Reuters
