WASHINGTON/TEHRAN (dpa-AFX) - Iran and the United States have reached an agreement on a two-week ceasefire. Simultaneously, Iran's Foreign Minister announced the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. In coordination with the Iranian armed forces and taking into account technical constraints, maritime traffic is to be permitted through the strait, a critical artery for the global oil trade, Abbas Araghchi stated in a release. US President Donald Trump had previously made the reopening of the waterway a prerequisite for any truce. Oil prices plummeted by double digits following the ceasefire agreement; conversely, Dax futures surged by nearly five percent.
Trump had threatened to target the Iranian energy sector as well as infrastructure such as bridges should the demands not be met. The US President had set a deadline for the leadership in Tehran until 2:00 AM German time on Wednesday morning. Israel also intends to adhere to the ceasefire brokered between Washington and Tehran, according to a senior US administration official. The United States and Israel launched military operations against Iran on February 28.
The US news outlet "Axios" quoted a US official stating that the ceasefire would commence as soon as Iran reopens the Strait of Hormuz. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had requested that he refrain from the recently threatened strikes, Trump wrote on his platform Truth Social. He noted that a 10-point proposal had been received from Iran, which is believed to provide a "workable basis for negotiations."
According to the "New York Times," the ten points involve the lifting of all sanctions imposed on Iran. "Axios" reports that US officials intend to hold negotiations with Iranian counterparts this Friday in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad./ngu/DP/zb
