Donald Trump and Mojtaba Khamenei (right)
Thirty-eight days into the war, a ceasefire was declared. Early Wednesday, Donald Trump reached a deal with Iran, agreeing to halt military operations for two weeks. What began as a US-Israeli campaign aimed at regime change in Tehran led to the ouster of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on the first day of Trump’s “Operation Epic Rage”.The ceasefire came a day after Trump issued a stark warning, warning that he would destroy “Iran’s entire civilization” if it did not reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for global oil and energy.
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“The war is not over”: Iran’s Supreme Leader’s first message to the army after Trump announced a ceasefire
Once the agreement was finalized between Washington and Tehran, both sides raced to achieve victory. Israel, a US ally and partner in the war, also supported the truce.
Khamenei signals negotiators to explore deal
According to an Axios report, officials in the United States and Israel learned of a startling development on Monday, just as President Trump’s ultimatum approached: Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, for the first time since the war began, has instructed his negotiators to move toward an agreement, according to an Israeli official, a regional source and another source familiar with the talks.While Trump was publicly threatening total annihilation, behind the scenes there were signs of diplomatic momentum, although even those close to Trump did not know which way the situation would turn until the ceasefire was announced. US forces in the Middle East and Pentagon officials were preparing for a massive bombing campaign on Iranian infrastructure, while trying to gauge Trump’s intentions. “We had no idea what was going to happen.
“It was brutal,” a defense official said.Allies across the region braced for possible Iranian retaliation on an unprecedented scale, while some civilians in Iran were fleeing their homes to escape the worst of the strikes. Axios based its story on conversations with eleven sources familiar with the negotiations.
Negotiations intensify amid the chaos
On Monday morning, as Trump was mingling with the crowds at the White House Easter celebration, a “very angry” Steve Witkoff was on the phones.
The US envoy described the 10-point counterproposal he had just received from Iran as “a disaster, a disaster,” according to a source familiar with the matter.What followed was a chaotic day of reviews. Pakistani mediators exchanged drafts between Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, while the foreign ministers of Egypt and Turkey tried to fill in the gaps. By Monday night, the United States had agreed to an updated proposal for a two-week ceasefire, leaving the decision up to Khamenei, who was reportedly very active in the process on Monday and Tuesday.
Khamenei’s approval is considered a “breakthrough”
The participation of the new Supreme Leader was necessarily secret. Facing an active Israeli assassination threat, Khamenei communicated primarily through note-passing joggers. Two sources described his agreement for negotiators to conclude the agreement as a “breakthrough.” Araqchi also played a central role in convincing Revolutionary Guard commanders to accept the deal, while China advised Iran to look for a way out. By the end of the day, all major decisions were passing through Khamenei.
“Without the green light, there would have been no agreement,” a regional source told Axios.
‘The entire civilization will die’: Trump’s stern warning
Despite the progress made by Tuesday morning, Trump issued one of his most extreme threats: “An entire civilization will die tonight.” Some US media reported that Iran withdrew from the talks in response, but sources said momentum was already building. US Vice President Vance coordinated from Hungary, mainly with the Pakistanis, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remained in frequent contact with Trump and his team, despite growing concerns that Israel had lost control of the operation.“The president of the United States told me, told the entire negotiating team, and Secretary of State and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said, ‘Go and work in good faith to get to an agreement,’” Vance said.He added, “He is impatient. He is impatient to make progress. He asked us to negotiate in good faith, and I believe that if they negotiate in good faith, we will be able to reach an agreement. But this is a big deal if it is ultimately up to the Iranians how to negotiate. I hope they make the right decision.”By around noon EST on Tuesday, the parties had agreed to a two-week ceasefire.
Three hours later, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif published the terms on X, urging both sides to accept them. Trump then fielded calls and text messages from hawkish allies urging him to reject the deal, adding to the uncertainty. Many people who spoke with Trump just an hour or two ago thought he would reject the offer, even agreeing to it.
The ceasefire has been completed
Before publishing his response, Trump consulted with Netanyahu to ensure his commitment to abide by the ceasefire, and then spoke with Pakistani army chief and de facto commander Asim Munir to finalize the deal. US forces received orders to withdraw 15 minutes after Trump participated.
Araqchi continued, stressing that Iran will adhere to the ceasefire and will open the Strait of Hormuz to ships “in coordination with the Iranian armed forces.”
Questions remain
The two main questions now are: To what extent will Iran allow shipping to resume, and to what extent will Netanyahu remain steadfast in respecting the ceasefire? A senior Israeli official told Axios that Netanyahu had received assurances that the United States would insist in peace talks on Iran abandoning nuclear enrichment and its ballistic missile program. Vance is expected to lead the US delegation in Pakistan on Friday, a high-stakes assignment in his career.There are still gaps between the American and Iranian visions for reaching an agreement, leaving the possibility of renewed conflict. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Press Secretary Carolyn Leavitt are expected to hold news conferences on Wednesday to defend Trump’s threats, saying they made the deal possible. Meanwhile, the Iranian regime may still wonder whether Trump’s threats have actually ended.
