Trump's Iran Deadline LIVE: Trump says US will help 'traffic buildup'; Starmer to discuss Hormuz reopening in Gulf trip

At a moment when every word carries diplomatic weight, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif accidentally said too much—or at least, too soon. A “draft” version of a message on the Iran-US ceasefire was briefly posted on X before being edited, setting off a wave of online scrutiny.

The post appeared with an unusual preface: “Draft - Pakistan's PM Message on X”. Within minutes, the label vanished. The message remained.

But by then, it was too late. Read more

Reuters, citing Lebanese sources, said Hezbollah halted fire on northern Israel and on Israeli troops in Lebanon as part of the ceasefire.

Hezbollah is soon expected to issue a statement outlining its formal position on the ceasefire and on Netanyahu's assertion that Lebanon is not included, the sources told Reuters.

India is set to receive Iranian oil this week, its first purchase in seven years, after the US temporarily removed sanctions on Iranian oil and refined products to ease supply shortages, Reuters reported, citing ship-tracking data from LSEG and Kpler.

Last week, the Oil Ministry said that refiners have purchased Iranian oil amid the Middle East conflict that has disrupted supplies through the Strait of Hormuz.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah questioned the rationale behind the United States and Israel waging an "unjust war" against Iran as the ceasefire has led to the opening of the Strait of Hormuz, which was freely available to all before the conflict began.

"So the ceasefire allows a strait to reopen, a strait that was open & freely available to everyone to use before the war started. What exactly did this 39 day war achieve for the US? #UnjustWar," Abdullah posted on his personal X account.

Israel's military issued repeated urgent warnings to residents of the city of Tyre on Wednesday to evacuate their homes immediately and move north of the Zahrani River, saying it will strike the area.

This comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the U.S.-Iran ceasefire announced earlier on Wednesday does not include Lebanon.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will travel to the Middle East to hold talks with Gulf partners on ensuring the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz remains permanent after a US-Iran ceasefire, his office said on Wednesday.

"I welcome the ceasefire agreement reached overnight, which will bring a moment of relief to the region and the world," Starmer said in a statement.

The U.N. said that preliminary findings from its probe into the deaths of three Indonesian peacekeepers in Lebanon last month show one was killed by an Israeli tank projectile and two by an improvised explosive device most likely placed by Hezbollah.

"These are preliminary findings, based on initial physical evidence," U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told a news briefing on Tuesday, adding that a full investigation was continuing which included engagement with the parties concerned.

Dujarric called the incidents "unacceptable" and said they could amount to war crimes under international law.

The leader of the Opposition in Israeli Parliament, Yair Lapid, questioned Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu's position after the US and Iran agreed to a ceasefire, saying that Israel was not even on the table when this was decided.

Lapid said that the Israeli military carried out everything that was asked of it, but Netanyahu failed immensely.

In a post on X, he said, "There has never been such a political disaster in all of our history. Israel wasn't even at the table when decisions were made concerning the core of our national security. The military carried out everything that was asked of it, the public demonstrated amazing resilience, but Netanyahu failed politically, failed strategically, and didn't meet a single one of the goals that he himself set. It will take us years to repair the political and strategic damage that Netanyahu wrought due to arrogance, negligence, and a lack of strategic planning."

Oman welcomes US-Iran ceasefire, urges 'intensifying efforts' to resolve crisis.

Trump tells AFP the deal is a "total and complete victory" for the US.

Iranian Supreme National Security Council statement says: "The enemy has suffered an undeniable, historic and crushing defeat in its cowardly, illegal and criminal war”

Ukraine welcomes the ceasefire agreed between the U.S. and Iran and the unblocking of the Strait of Hormuz, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on X on Wednesday, calling for similar "decisiveness" by Washington in stopping Russia's war in Ukraine.

"American decisiveness works. We believe it is time for sufficient decisiveness to force Moscow to cease fire and end its war against Ukraine," Sybiha wrote.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the German government welcomed the two-week ceasefire agreed between the United States and Iran.

“The aim now must be to negotiate a lasting end to the war in the coming days,” he said in a statement. “This can only be achieved through diplomatic channels.”

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul welcomed the two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran.

"I welcome the decision by the warring parties to agree to a ceasefire in the Iran war," the minister wrote on X.

"This must be the crucial first step towards lasting peace, for the consequences of the war continuing would be incalculable," he said.

Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE, are exploring a $2,500 Ukrainian-designed interceptor drone as a cheaper way to counter Iranian attacks that are depleting stockpiles of US-made missiles, a Japanese firm marketing the technology overseas told Reuters.

Gold prices climbed to a near three-week high on Wednesday as markets reassessed near-term risks after US President Donald Trump agreed to a ceasefire with Iran.

Spot gold was up 2.5% at $4,819.25 per ounce, as of 0534 GMT. Earlier in the session, bullion rose more than 3% to its highest level since March 19.

U.S. gold futures for June delivery gained 3.5% to $4,847.70.

Explosions were heard in Bahrain's capital Manama on Wednesday morning, according to an AFP journalist, hours after the United States announced a ceasefire with Iran.

The Gulf kingdom's interior ministry said in a statement that civil defence crews had succeeded in controlling a fire that broke out in a facility "targeted by the sinful Iranian aggression", with no injuries reported.

US Treasuries surged on Wednesday after a two-week ceasefire in the Middle East triggered a relief rally across assets as investors wagered that sliding oil prices could keep inflation in check and possibly bring rate cuts back on the table.

U.S. 10-year yields, which rise when Treasury prices fall, were last down 10 basis points at 4.243%. U.S. 30-year yields slid 7.5 bps to 4.846%.

On the front end of the curve, the two-year yield, which reflects interest rate expectations, fell 10.9 bps to 3.723%.

Executive Director at the Foundation for Defence of Democracies (FDD) and former US Treasury counterterrorism analyst, Jonathan Schanzer has said that although Iran has "claimed victory," the question of the real victor still looms.

Schanzer, in a conversation with ANI, said that the US and Israel waged war on Iran, and Iran declared victory simply by surviving.

"This gets to a core question that has been really difficult to answer for all the wars of the 21st century. The United States and Israel have gone to war, and even if you look at a country like Russia, they go to war and win on a conventional level. They gain territory, degrade their enemy, and prevent their enemy from being able to fight with any real power. And yet, the other side declares victory simply by surviving--simply by waging an asymmetric war in response," he said on Tuesday (local time).

DGCA has ordered major airports to cut landing and parking charges by 25% for three months for domestic flights, offering relief to the country's airlines that are under financial pressure due to the Iran war, reported Reuters.

The move to cut charges comes after IndiGo and Air India sought the rationalisation of some fees levied by airports. The country's two largest airlines are facing a double whammy from the Iran war, as Indian airlines are already barred from flying over Pakistan.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said passage through the strait would be allowed under Iranian military management. It wasn't clear whether that meant Iran would completely loosen its chokehold on the waterway.

The plan allows for both Iran and Oman to charge fees on ships transiting through the strait, according to a regional official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss negotiations they were directly involved in. The official said Iran would use the money it raised for reconstruction.

NATO chief Mark Rutte will hold talks with Trump in Washington on Wednesday, local time, a day after the United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire.

Rutte plans to "discuss current security dynamics, including in the context of Iran as well as Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine" in his talks with Trump, according to a NATO official.

Iran says it has agreed to two weeks of safe passage in coordination with its armed forces and within “technical limitations”, while Trump announced a “COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING”.

It is also unclear if the two have settled on transit payments, or when the truce takes effect.

Trump said in a separate social media post that the US would be “helping with the traffic build up” and “hangin’ around” to ensure smooth flows.

Shipowners are rushing to understand the fine print of a US-Iran ceasefire that could temporarily unblock the Strait of Hormuz and open an exit for more than 800 vessels trapped in the Persian Gulf, reported Bloomberg.

The vital waterway has been virtually closed since US and Israeli strikes at the end of February.

The Reserve Bank on Wednesday expectedly kept interest rates unchanged amid hopes of a global recovery on the back of ceasefire in the six-week-long US/Isreal-Iran conflict.

The policy decision comes as a month and a-half-long West Asia conflict has disrupted energy supplies, shot up crude oil prices and created fiscal and inflationary pressures for import-dependent nations like India.

In the Farsi (Persian) version of its 10-point ceasefire plan, Iran included the phrase ‘acceptance of enrichment’ for its nuclear programme. However, this reference was absent from the English versions shared by Iranian diplomats with journalists, the Associated Press reported.

This led to confusion over the agreement on Iran’s nuclear enrichment as part of the ceasefire conditions. What's the truth? Check here

Taking a swipe at the government, Congress said the role played by Pakistan in bringing about the ceasefire between the US and Iran is a "severe setback" to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "highly personalised diplomacy" and "the self-styled Vishwaguru stands thoroughly exposed".

The opposition party also said Prime Minister Modi's "cowardice is demonstrated by his silence not only on Israel's belligerence, but on the completely unacceptable and disgraceful language being used by his good friend in the White House".

Representative Gregory Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, welcomed the announcement of a two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran.

In a statement, Meeks said, "I welcome the announcement of a ceasefire between the United States and Iran and I'm relieved that U.S. personnel and civilians on both sides may now be spared further harm. I also want to recognise Pakistan's role in facilitating this outcome."

"But a temporary ceasefire is not enough. We must use this moment to pursue a durable, negotiated outcome that reduces the risk of further conflict and instability across the region. Congress needs answers. Donald Trump must provide a full account for why he took the American people to war, a war in which 13 service members were killed and tens of billions are being spent, and what he intends to do to address these costs for the American people," Meeks added.

Bitcoin rose to a three-week high after the US and Iran agreed to an initial ceasefire, prompting a surge in risk assets.

The largest cryptocurrency spiked as much as 4.9% to $72,738, its highest level since March 18, before paring gains to trade at $71,300 at noon on Wednesday in Singapore, about 3% higher. Smaller tokens also notched big gains, with Ether rising as much as 7.4% to $2,273.

Japan said that "concrete steps" are needed to de-escalate the crisis, including ensuring the safe passage of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.

The world's fourth-largest economy is the fifth biggest importer of oil, with around 70 per cent coming through Hormuz before the war.

"The most important thing is that concrete steps will be taken to de-escalate the situation, including ensuring the safety of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz," Japanese government spokesman Minoru Kihara said.

"We hope the final agreement will be reached through diplomacy at an early date."

US President Donald Trump said the United States will help with the traffic buildup in the Strait of Hormuz.

"We'll be loading up with supplies of all kinds, and just 'hangin' around' in order to make sure that everything goes well," Trump said.

"There will be lots of positive action! Big money will be made. Iran can start the reconstruction process," he also said.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the ceasefire but urged all parties to work toward long-term peace in the Middle East.

"The Secretary-General welcomes the announcement of a two-week ceasefire by the United States and Iran," his spokesperson said in a statement.

He added that the UN chief "calls on all the parties to the current conflict in the Middle East to comply with their obligations under international law and to abide by the terms of the ceasefire in order to pave the way toward a lasting and comprehensive peace in the region."

Bahrain sounds its missile alert alarm hours after US and Iran said they agreed on a 2-week ceasefire in the war, reported AP.

Iran's Supreme National Security Council asserted that Tehran has already secured a "historic" victory in the ongoing conflict as it announced a two-week ceasefire with the US.

"The enemy has suffered an undeniable, historic and crushing defeat in its cowardly, illegal and criminal war against the Iranian nation." It further added that Iran had compelled "the criminal America to accept its 10-point plan," the statement said, signalling what it termed a decisive shift in regional power dynamics.

In a Truth Social post, US President Donald Trump said, "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. There will be lots of positive action! Big money will be made.

Iran can start the reconstruction process. We’ll be loading up with supplies of all kinds, and just “hangin’ around” in order to make sure that everything goes well. 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!!!"

As the US and Iran prepare to negotiate ceasefire terms in Islamabad starting from Friday, netizens have begun trending Pakistan on X with “stop fighting” jokes.

Netizens began drawing parallels to the viral moment from Peaky Blinders, sharing memes featuring the beloved character Tommy Shelby (played by Cillian Murphy) as they compared the reel scene to the sudden call to halt the global conflict.

The meme captures the mood with users, referring to Pakistan as the unlikely referee between the two global powers. Check memes here

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese welcomed the ceasefire between the US, Israel and Iran, while criticising the rhetoric of President Donald Trump.

In an interview with Sky News, Albanese said the ceasefire was welcome, but that Trump's rhetoric was worrying.

"I don't think it's appropriate to use language such as that from the President of the United States, and I think it will cause some concern," he said.

Albanese, who had supported US attacks on Iran in the early days of the war, expressed unease about the conflict in recent weeks.

The dollar sank to its lowest level in a month while the euro, yen, Aussie and sterling rallied hard in Asian trading on Wednesday after US President Donald Trump said he had agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran.

The yen strengthened 0.8% against the greenback to 158.36 per dollar.

The euro was up 0.7% at $1.1674, while the British pound appreciated 0.8% to $1.34. The Australian dollar climbed 1.1% to $0.7054.

The Indian stock market jumped over 3% in opening deals on Wednesday, April 8, after the US and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire deal, leading to a rally in global markets.

Sensex opened 2674.05 points or 3.58% higher at 77,290.63, while broader Nifty 50 started the day 731.50 points or 3.2% higher at 23,855.15.

The rupee rose by 36 paise to open at 92.64 per dollar on Wednesday, April 8, in anticipation of the central bank's policy announcement, supported by falling oil prices and a surge in Asian currencies following a two-week ceasefire in the Middle East.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim welcomed the ceasefire between the United States and Iran, and called for lasting peace in the region.

In a social media post, Anwar said it was imperative that Iran's 10-point proposal to end the war be "translated into a comprehensive peace deal, not just for Iran, but also for Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen".

Social media users have reacted strongly to Shehbaz Sharif’s statement, suggesting a wider and immediate ceasefire across several regions ‘with immediate effect’.

A user commented, “When the ‘Broker Nation’ is also the ‘Broke Nation’, you know the diplomatic bar has hit the floor.” Read here for memes and reactions

Jet fuel prices will still take months to normalise, Bloomberg reported, citing Asian airline bosses, even after Iran agreed to open the Strait of Hormuz as part of a two-week ceasefire deal with US President Donald Trump.

Crude oil prices fell as much as 16% to below $100 a barrel on Wednesday after Trump announced the ceasefire.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra slammed "western powers" for speaking in a "despicable language" on the Iran conflict and said the world is understanding as the "veil of morality falls" from the face of the West.

She asserted that hatred, anger, violence and injustice never win, while courage always wins.

"Iranian men and women formed human chains around their country's resources while western powers spoke in a despicable language, heralding the 'end of a civilisation'," Priyanka Gandhi said on X.

"The world is watching and understanding as the veil of morality falls from across the face of the West. Hatred, anger, violence and injustice never win. Courage always wins," she said.

Iran's Supreme National Security Council said it has accepted the ceasefire and that it would negotiate with the United States in Pakistan beginning Friday.

However, neither Iran nor the United States said when the ceasefire would begin, and attacks took place in Israel, Iran and across the Gulf region early on Wednesday.

28 February: US-Israel launched strikes across Iran, killing Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

1 March: Iranian drone attack kills six US soldiers in Port Shuaiba

8 March: Iran names Mojtaba Khamenei as his father’s successor.

11 March: Iran struck at least three ships in and around the Strait of Hormuz.

12 March: Mojtaba Khamenei issues his first written statement

13 March: US bombs Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil export hub.

17 March: Israel killed two of Iran’s top leaders: Ali Larijani and Gholamreza Soleimani

18 March: Israel attacks Iran’s South Pars gas field.

28 March: Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen join war

3 April: Iran shot down a US Air Force F-15E fighter

7 April: Donald Trump warns “a whole civilisation will die tonight”. Hours later, 2-week ceasefire was announced.

Read more

Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel supports US President Donald Trump's decision to suspend attacks against Iran for two weeks, but added that the deal doesn't cover fighting against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

The statement contradicted an earlier announcement by Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who has acted as a mediator in the conflict, that said the ceasefire covers "everywhere, including Lebanon".

"Israel supports President Trump's decision to suspend strikes against Iran for two weeks subject to Iran immediately opening the straits and stopping all attacks on the US, Israel and countries in the region," the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement.

"Israel also supports the US effort to ensure that Iran no longer poses a nuclear, missile and terror threat to America, Israel, Iran's Arab neighbours, and the world," the statement added.