Iran's Supreme National Security Council said Wednesday it has accepted a two-week ceasefire in the war and will negotiate with the United States in Islamabad beginning Friday, marking a sharp de-escalation after weeks of escalating U.S. threats.
The announcement came after President Donald Trump said late Tuesday he was pulling back on his threats to widen attacks on Iran, including an array of bridges, power plants and other civilian targets. Trump had warned earlier Tuesday that 'a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again' if Iran failed to make a deal that includes reopening the vital Strait of Hormuz.
What the Right Is Saying
Conservative defenders of Trump's approach argued that the strong military posture and credible threats forced Iran to the negotiating table. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Republicans had supported the administration's hardline stance, with some crediting the pressure campaign with achieving what previous diplomatic efforts had not.
Former Trump administration officials noted that Iran remains designated as a state sponsor of terrorism and said the 10-point proposal, while imperfect, represented a potential framework for addressing core U.S. concerns. Some conservative commentators argued that the administration had demonstrated strength through willingness to use force while also showing flexibility in accepting a ceasefire.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive lawmakers and foreign policy analysts who had warned about the risks of escalation expressed cautious optimism while emphasizing the need for verification. Senator Bernie Sanders has called throughout the conflict for diplomatic solutions rather than military action, and supporters of his approach pointed to Pakistan's mediation efforts as evidence that diplomacy could succeed where threats failed.
Democratic lawmakers who had condemned Trump's rhetoric about destroying Iranian civilization called for continued oversight. Several progressive advocacy groups noted that the ceasefire came only after unprecedented threats and urged that negotiations produce verifiable outcomes rather than merely a temporary pause in hostilities.
What the Numbers Show
Oil prices reacted sharply to the news, with U.S. crude futures sinking 18% to around $92.60 per barrel, while Brent crude fell about 6% to $103.40. Both prices remain well above where they were at the start of the war. The S&P 500 rose 2.4% on the news.
About one-fifth of the world's oil transits the Strait of Hormuz in peacetime. Iran's 10-point proposal includes full sanctions relief and what it describes as 'regulated passage' through the strait under coordination of Iran's military — a significant potential concession from a nation that has used the waterway as leverage during previous tensions.
The U.S. military has halted all offensive operations against Iran, though defensive measures remain in place, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The Bottom Line
The two-week ceasefire represents a major de-escalation after weeks of escalating threats, but significant questions remain. Iran's statement emphasized that 'our hands remain upon the trigger' and that the ceasefire does not signify termination of the war. The Islamic Republic's definition of 'combat forces' it wants withdrawn from the region remains undefined, and missile alerts sounded in Israel and the UAE early Wednesday despite the ceasefire announcement.
What happens next will depend on whether both sides can reach a lasting agreement during negotiations in Islamabad. The immediate focus is on whether Iran follows through on opening the Strait of Hormuz — a key demand that Israeli officials remain skeptical about, according to people briefed on internal deliberations. The next two weeks will test whether this represents a genuine breakthrough or a temporary pause in hostilities.