Trump pauses Iran strikes for two weeks to negotiate 10-point peace deal

Click here to follow the latest updates about the ceasefire agreement with Iran.

This is an excerpt from an opinion article by Steve Forbes.

The West has a bad habit of mistaking fanaticism for grievance and terror for "complexity." It is a perverse mindset that can lead to deadly outcomes.

Nowhere has that delusion been more dangerous than with Iran. For nearly half a century, polite opinion has insisted that the regime in Tehran can somehow be moderated, accommodated, or reasoned into good behavior. Nonsense. Iran’s rulers are not misunderstood pragmatists. They are revolutionary theocrats who have built their state on repression at home and terror abroad.

The nuclear threat alone should end the argument. In its February 2026 report, the International Atomic Energy Agency said Iran had nearly 1,000 pounds of highly enriched uranium that is but a small step from nuclear weapons-grade purity. That should have set off alarms in every capital of the free world. This is not fuel for peaceful commerce. Iran is the only non-nuclear-weapons state producing and stockpiling uranium at this level. That is not normal behavior. It is a giant warning siren.

Then there is delivery power. The Center for Strategic and International Studies points out that Iran possesses the largest and most diverse missile arsenal in the Mideast, including thousands of ballistic and cruise missiles. It has also poured resources into manufacturing drones by the thousands, both for direct use and for proxy warfare. Put plainly: a regime nearing nuclear-weapons capability is simultaneously building the means to intimidate neighbors, overwhelm defenses, and menace U.S. interests and allies across an already fragile region. This is not just an Israeli problem. It is a Middle East problem, a Europe problem and an American problem.

Nor does Tehran merely threaten from within its own borders. It exports mayhem. The U.S. State Department still identifies Iran as the leading state sponsor of terrorism. That support is not abstract. It runs through Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, and the Houthis in Yemen — proxies armed, financed, trained and directed to spread chaos, attack civilians, threaten Israel, intimidate Arab governments and disrupt international commerce. Tehran’s rulers do not seek regional stability. They seek leverage through fear.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., urged U.S. service members to "refuse illegal orders" Tuesday after President Donald Trump threatened to wipe out Iran’s "civilization" in efforts to get the Strait of Hormuz reopened.

"The President’s mental faculties are collapsing and cannot be trusted," Ocasio-Cortez wrote in response to Trump’s Truth Social post. "To every individual in the President’s chain of command: You have a duty to refuse illegal orders. That includes carrying out this threat."

Ocasio-Cortez’s denunciation comes as a growing number of Democratic lawmakers on the party’s leftward flank have called for Trump to be impeached, though that effort will likely face an uphill battle in the Republican-controlled House. Some Democrats have also urged the cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment in an attempt to remove Trump from power — a highly unrealistic outcome.

House Democratic leadership notably stopped short of calling for Trump’s ouster in a statement issued Tuesday.

The Democratic leaders instead urged House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to immediately reconvene the House and vote on a war powers resolution to block Trump from further military action. The chamber is currently in a district work period until the week of April 13.

This is an excerpt from a story by Fox News Digital's Adam Pack.

The A-10 Warthog has a new maritime role in targeting boats in the war in Iran that could extend the life of the aircraft, which the U.S. Air Force had been attempting to retire for years.

Despite the Air Force trying to phase out the A-10, Congress has resisted its efforts and blocked attempts to reduce the number of these aircraft.

A-10s have been used in the U.S. military campaign against Iran, as the Pentagon sees a need for an aircraft that can loiter and deliver accurate fire against small boats and coastal threats.

During a Pentagon briefing last month, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine said that A-10 aircraft were "in the fight" and operating across the southern flank of the conflict, including targeting Iranian boats in the Strait of Hormuz.

"We continue to hunt and kill mine storage facilities and naval ammunition depots. We continue to hunt and kill afloat assets, including more than 120 vessels and 44 mine layers, and the pressure will continue," Caine said in the March 19 briefing.

"The A-10 Warthog is now in the fight across the southern flank and is hunting and killing fast attack watercraft in the Straits of Hormuz. In addition, AH-64 Apaches have joined the fight on the southern flank, and they continue to work on the southern side. And that includes some of our allies who are using Apaches to handle one-way attack drones," he continued.

The development follows escalating threats from President Donald Trump over Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which disrupted global energy shipments, before the two sides agreed to a temporary ceasefire just hours ahead of a U.S. deadline for strikes.

This is an excerpt from an article by Landon Mion.

United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Wednesday he welcomed the ceasefire agreement between the U.S. and Iran.

In a post on X, Starmer said the deal will “bring a moment of relief to the region and the world.”

“Together with our partners, we must do all we can to support and sustain this ceasefire, turn it into a lasting agreement and re-open the Strait of Hormuz,” he added.

President Donald Trump announced a two-week ceasefire agreement with Iran on Tuesday.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Wednesday praised the ceasefire agreement between the U.S. and Iran while urging both sides to secure a lasting deal.

“I welcome the two-week ceasefire agreed upon by the USA and Iran overnight,” Merz said in a statement.

He thanked Pakistan for assisting with the negotiations and said Germany would help broker any long-term peace deal.

“The goal now must be to negotiate a permanent end to the war,” Merz said. “We are in close contact with our partners regarding this matter.”

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., reacted Tuesday to the ceasefire announcement between the U.S. and Iran, calling for a congressional review of any long-term peace agreement.

“As I stated before, I prefer diplomacy if it leads to the right outcome regarding the Iranian terrorist regime,” Graham wrote in a post on X. “I appreciate the hard work of all involved in trying to find a diplomatic solution.”

“At this early stage, I am extremely cautious regarding what is fact vs. fiction or misrepresentation,” he continued. “That’s why a congressional review process like the one the Senate followed to test the Obama Iranian deal is a sound way forward. Fair and challenging questions with a full opportunity to explain, and a healthy dose of sunlight is generally the right formula to understand any matter.”

Graham added, “Simply put, kick the tires.”

President Trump announced a two-week ceasefire agreement with Iran on Tuesday, writing on Truth Social that the U.S. had received a 10-point proposal from Iran for a sustained agreement, which he said was “a workable basis on which to negotiate.”

In an earlier post on X, Graham said he wanted all of Iran’s enriched uranium to be under U.S. control and removed from the country.

President Donald Trump said there will be “positive action” following the two-week ceasefire agreement with Iran, predicting a “Golden Age of the Middle East.”

In a Truth Social post early Wednesday, Trump suggested Iran was ready to reach a peace agreement and said the U.S. would help manage traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.

“A big day for World Peace! Iran wants it to happen, they’ve had enough! Likewise, so has everyone else! The United States of America will be helping with the traffic buildup in the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump wrote. “There will be lots of positive action! Big money will be made. Iran can start the reconstruction process.”

Trump said the U.S. will be “loading up with supplies of all kinds, and just ‘hangin’ around’ in order to make sure that everything goes well.” He added, “I feel confident that it will.”

“Just like we are experiencing in the U.S., this could be the Golden Age of the Middle East!!!” Trump added.

Former National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent — who quit his government role last month over his opposition to the Iran war — warned Tuesday that Israel may try to “sabotage” the two-week ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran.

“It's absolutely essential that we ensure that the Israelis do not sabotage this two-week ceasefire or eventually the lasting peace that we're trying to achieve with the Iranians,” Kent said in a video posted on X.

“We're on the cusp of being able to have the Strait of Hormuz reopened, to hopefully start to get the world energy supply and commerce back online. The last thing we need is the Israelis doing what they have done in past negotiations and targeting negotiators or taking a series of strikes that escalates the conflict.”

Kent added that “in order to ensure that we can restrain the Israelis, we actually have to start removing features of the military support that we give to them.”

“We have to take away enough from them that they simply cannot go on the offense, that they're using all their military capabilities that we provide for them, and that they have organically, for the defense of their country and not for offensive operations inside of Iran,” he said.

Kent said it was “absolutely critical” that the U.S. take this step, asserting that Israel has a “very bad track record adhering to these deals.”

Leaders across Asia and the Pacific welcomed a two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran.

The Australian government said it “welcomes the agreement by the United States, Israel and Iran to a two-week ceasefire to negotiate a resolution to the conflict in the Middle East.”

“The Australian government has been calling for de-escalation and an end to the conflict for some time now,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in a joint statement Wednesday.

“Iran’s de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz, coupled with its attacks on commercial vessels, civilian infrastructure and oil and gas facilities, is causing unprecedented energy supply shocks and impacting oil and fuel prices,” they continued.

The leaders emphasized that the conflict threatens the global economy and puts lives at risk, adding that they support diplomatic efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

“Australia wants to see the ceasefire upheld and a resolution to the conflict,” they said. “We continue to call on all parties to uphold international humanitarian law and protect civilian life.”

The Australian government thanked other countries that supported negotiations and advanced “de-escalation efforts,” including Pakistan, Egypt, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia.

Meanwhile, in New Zealand, Foreign Minister Winston Peters called the deal “encouraging news,” but said “significant” work remains to secure a lasting ceasefire.

Japan’s chief cabinet secretary, Minoru Kihara, said his country “welcomes the announcement as a positive development.”

“We hope they reach an agreement,” he added.

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a group associated with Iran-backed armed factions, announced it would suspend its operations across the region for two weeks.

The group issued the statement early Wednesday, according to Reuters.

The announcement came after President Donald Trump agreed to a ceasefire with Iran earlier Tuesday and to suspend bombing and attacks in the country for two weeks.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced on X Tuesday that the United States "achieved and exceeded our core military objectives in 38 days" during Operation Epic Fury.

"This is a victory for the United States that President Trump and our incredible military made happen," Leavitt wrote. "From the very beginning of Operation Epic Fury, President Trump estimated this would be a 4-6 week operation."

Leavitt's post, celebrating the military's "unbelievable capabilities," comes as President Trump announced a two-week ceasefire with Iran via Truth Social.

"Thanks to the unbelievable capabilities of our warriors, we have achieved and exceeded our core military objectives in 38 days," Leavitt added.

Leavitt foreshadowed a press briefing Wednesday morning with Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine at the Pentagon, writing "more on that tomorrow morning."

The press secretary wrote that there is "an opening" for a "diplomatic solution" with Iran.

"The success of our military created maximum leverage, allowing President Trump and the team to engage in tough negotiations that have now created an opening for a diplomatic solution and long-term peace," Leavitt wrote.

Before closing, Leavitt also touted Trump's reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

"Never underestimate President Trump’s ability to successfully advance America’s interests and broker peace," Leavitt concluded.

The Nikkei Stock Average in Japan rose sharply following President Donald Trump's announcement that he would halt attacks on Iran for two weeks, raising more than 2,600 yen.

It now takes about 158 yen to buy one dollar, reflecting a weaker Japanese currency.

Markets worldwide are rallying in the wake of Trump announcing a ceasefire hours after threatening 'a whole civilization will die tonight' in reference to Iran.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio took to X on Tuesday to celebrate the release of American journalist Shelly Kittleson, recently kidnapped by terrorists in Iraq.

According to Rubio, she was taken by foreign terrorist organization Kata’ib Hizballah near Baghdad, Iraq.

The Secretary thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Department of War (DoW), and "U.S. personnel across multiple agencies." Rubio also touted the Iraqi Supreme Judicial Council and "our Iraqi partners" in securing Kittleson's release.

"Under President Trump, the wrongful detention or kidnapping of U.S. nationals will not be tolerated," Rubio wrote. "We will continue to use every tool to bring Americans home and to hold accountable those responsible."

According to Rubio, Kittleson's safe evacuation is currently being staged from Iraq back to the United States.

"This resolution reflects the Trump Administration's steadfast commitment to the safety and security of American citizens, no matter where they are in the world," Rubio wrote.

Iran released a 10-point plan to secure an end to the conflict with the United States, including a demand for the lifting of all sanctions and for Washington to allow its uranium enrichment program, Times of Israel reported.

Iran, allegedly claiming victory against the United States in a statement published by state media with their 10-point plan, would demand “continued Iranian control over the Strait of Hormuz, acceptance of enrichment, [and] lifting of all primary and secondary sanctions.”

The wishlist, reportedly presented through mediators in Pakistan, insists upon the United States military withdrawing from the Middle East as well as an end to attacks on Iran and its allies.

Their demands also include expanded Iranian control over the vital Strait of Hormuz, which sees about a fifth of the world's oil.

“It is to be noted that the adoption of such a resolution shall render all these agreements binding under international law and shall constitute a significant diplomatic victory for the Iranian nation,” Iran's Supreme National Security Council said in a statement reviewed by the Times of Israel.

The United States has not yet provided a response to the 10-point demands from Iran, including its appeal to continue its uranium enrichment program. The two nations are set to engage in diplomatic talks in Pakistan later this week.

Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif took to X on Tuesday night, announcing the ceasefire between the United States and Iran 'EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY.'

Sharif also invited both countries to Islamabad in three days' time to continue negotiations.

"I warmly welcome the sagacious gesture and extend deepest gratitude to the leadership of both the countries and invite their delegations to Islamabad on Friday, 10th April 2026, to further negotiate for a conclusive agreement to settle all disputes," Sharif wrote.

Sharif also touted the "remarkable wisdom and understanding" of both the United States and Iran in his post.

"Both parties have displayed remarkable wisdom and understanding and have remained constructively engaged in furthering the cause of peace and stability," Sharif wrote. "We earnestly hope, that the ‘Islamabad Talks’ succeed in achieving sustainable peace and wish to share more good news in coming days!"

The Prime Minister concluded his post by tagging leaders from the United States, including President Donald Trump and Vice President Vance, as well as those in Iran.

The new supreme leader of Iran, Mojtaba Khamenei, is reportedly incapable of running the country according to an intelligence assessment reviewed by The Times.

The diplomatic memo, understood to be comprised of both American and Israeli intelligence, claims Khamenei is incapacitated and receiving medical treatment in the holy city of Qom.

The Times also reported that Khamenei is both unconscious and being treated for a "severe" medical condition.

Qom is approximately 90 miles from Tehran and considered a sacred site to Muslims of the Shia sect.

Dow futures jumped more than 900 points in the hours following President Donald Trump's announcement that he would suspend his bombing campaign against Iran.

The surge came after Trump announced a “double-sided” ceasefire contingent on Iran reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has agreed to open the waterway for a two-week period while both sides negotiate an agreement to end the conflict.

“I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “We received a 10-point proposal from Iran, and believe it is a workable basis on which to negotiate.”

The White House said talks were ongoing regarding a potential in-person meeting between American and Iranian officials.

“There are discussions about in-person talks, but nothing is final until announced by the President or the White House," said White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.

American and Iranian heads of state have not met in person for decades, following the Iranian Revolution in 1979.