Update: President Donald Trump struck a more optimistic tone late Tuesday, saying on Truth Social that Iran “wants it to happen” and that the United States will help with the “traffic buildup” in the Strait of Hormuz. He added that there would be “lots of positive action” and said Iran can begin the reconstruction process.
President Donald Trump said Tuesday evening that the United States will suspend bombing and attacks on Iran for two weeks, but only if Tehran agrees to the “COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz.” Trump made the announcement in a Truth Social post published at 5:32 p.m. Central.
Trump said the decision followed conversations with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, who he said asked him to hold off on the “destructive force being sent tonight to Iran.” He described the proposed pause as a “double sided CEASEFIRE!” and said the United States had already “met and exceeded all Military objectives.”
The post marked a sharp turn from Trump’s earlier warning that “a whole civilization will die tonight” if Iran did not meet his deadline on the strait. As previously reported by The Dallas Express, the White House had said earlier Tuesday that Trump’s deadline remained in place.
Trump also claimed the United States had received a “10 point proposal” from Iran and said it was a “workable basis” for negotiations toward a longer-term peace agreement. Late Tuesday, Reuters reported that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Tehran would cease counter-attacks and provide safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz if attacks against it stop, suggesting movement toward the conditions Trump outlined.
Even so, the situation remained fluid Tuesday night. Trump’s proposed two-week pause was still framed as conditional, and its durability depended on both sides following through on the terms tied to halting attacks and restoring safe passage through the waterway.
Later Tuesday night, Trump posted a more upbeat follow-up, writing that Iran “wants it to happen” and saying the United States would help with the “traffic buildup” in the Strait of Hormuz. He said there would be “lots of positive action,” predicted “big money will be made,” and suggested Iran could begin reconstruction as the situation moves toward a longer-term resolution.
The Strait of Hormuz remains the central leverage point in the standoff. Roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil passes through the narrow shipping lane, making any disruption there a major risk to global energy markets and regional stability. Reuters reported Tuesday that diplomatic efforts involving Pakistan were focused in part on restoring traffic through the strait during the proposed pause.