US-Iran war Highlights: Trump suspends Iran threats for 14 days as ceasefire talks advance

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Iran 10-point plan says US must accept uranium enrichment, lift all sanctions

The ceasefire that the US and Iran reached includes Lebanon, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who presented the plan to US President Donald Trump, said.

“With the greatest humility, I am pleased to announce that the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America, along with their allies, have agreed to an immediate ceasefire everywhere including Lebanon and elsewhere, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY,” Sharif said in a statement.

The US military has paused strikes inside Iran, according to a US official quoted by CNN.

The US has struck more than 13,000 targets in Iran since the war began, according to US Central Command.

President Donald Trump posted a photo on Truth Social which he claimed was the statement from Iran in accepting the 14 day ceasefire.

“Based on conversations with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, of Pakistan, and wherein they requested that I hold off the destructive force being sent tonight to Iran, and subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz, I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks. This will be a double sided CEASEFIRE! The reason for doing so is that we have already met and exceeded all Military objectives, and are very far along with a definitive Agreement concerning Longterm PEACE with Iran, and PEACE in the Middle East. We received a 10 point proposal from Iran, and believe it is a workable basis on which to negotiate. Almost all of the various points of past contention have been agreed to between the United States and Iran, but a two week period will allow the Agreement to be finalized and consummated. On behalf of the United States of America, as President, and also representing the Countries of the Middle East, it is an Honor to have this Longterm problem close to resolution. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP”

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday requested U.S. President Donald Trump make a two-week extension to a deadline he imposed on Iran to end its blockade of Gulf oil.

Pakistan has been the main go-between for proposals shared by Iran and the United States, but there has been no sign of a compromise.

"To allow diplomacy to run its course, I earnestly request President Trump to extend the deadline for two weeks. Pakistan, in all sincerity, requests the Iranian brothers to open Strait of Hormuz for a corresponding period of two weeks as a goodwill gesture," Sharif said in a post on X.

A spokesperson of Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said in a post on X, “Stay away from Israeli AI centers because, in response to the targeting of universities, we will destroy these centers.”

“The Ministry of Interior urges citizens and residents to remain in their homes and avoid going out, except in cases of utmost necessity, from 12:00 midnight on Tuesday, April 7, until 6:00 a.m. on Wednesday, April 8, as a precautionary measure aimed at safeguarding everyone's safety, strengthening the level of prevention, and enabling security authorities to perform their duties with high efficiency,” the country's ministry of internal affairs said in a post on X.

"The President of the United States is threatening to commit war crimes and wipe out a "whole civilization" — all because he started a disastrous war of his own making and had no plan and no strategy for how to end it.

This is abhorrent, and the American people do not support this," the former Vice President said in a post on X.

"Trump's recklessness is needlessly putting our brave service members in harm's way, destroying America's global standing, and making life even more unaffordable for the American people.

We must all stand against this and oppose funding this illegal war of choice." she added.

While Democrats in the US and celebrities are slamming Donald Trump for threatening complete destruction of Iran, Pope Leo has also made his opinion known regarding the issue, saying that such threats are ‘unacceptable’.

An Iraqi militia tied to the IRGC warned on its Telegram channel Tuesday that if Trump acts on his threat to broadly obliterate Iran, then it would target the Red Sea port of Yanbu to “plunge the world into an energy war.” Saudi Arabia has been using the Yanbu terminal to export almost 5 million barrels of oil a day to get around Iran’s blockade of the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

"The secretary-general is deeply troubled by statements suggesting that entire civilian populations or civilizations may be made to bear the consequences of political and military decisions," a statement issued Tuesday by his spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said.

Pak says Israel spoiled their efforts by launching an attack on Tehran when “both sides were in a stage to sit down”, as per a report by Al Jazeera.

A bridge near the holy city of Qom and another carrying a railway line in the central city of Kashan were struck, according to regional officials quoted by state media.

Fars and the Mizan news agencies also reported a strike on railway tracks in Karaj, outside Tehran, with images showing Red Crescent rescuers carrying an injured man on a stretcher.

Iran's South Africa Embassy replied to Walz's post on X by saying: “Did he even have?”

Agnes Callamard, secretary general of Amnesty International, has warned that those committing or ordering grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions will be held responsible, and every state in the world will have an obligation to prosecute them.

Fatemeh Mohajerani, the spokesperson for the Iranian government, has said that Trump’s threat to destroy Iranian civilization is a “sign of ignorance” that won’t help potential dialogue.

“Maintaining the peace and security of the people is the government’s top priority, and threats will not disturb public calm,” Mohajerani told IRNA. “The door to dialogue opens with respect; the narrow path of threats, pettiness, and humiliation is not a way in.”

“Threatening a ‘civilization’ is, more than anything, a sign of ignorance of the history of a nation that has repeatedly overcome crises and continues to stand,” Mohajerani said further.

The Israeli military has said that it targeted a senior commander in Iran's top joint military command. According to the military, the result of the attack is under review.

The US and Iran have made some progress in negotiations, but an agreement still looks to be a long shot, Axios has reported.

A US official told Axios that the Trump administration was originally questioning “can we get there?,” but is now asking “can we get there by 8 o’clock tonight?”

According to another source, there has been renewed discussion about a possible in-person meeting between a US delegation led by Vance and an Iranian delegation.

Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir has said that the US-Israeli war on Iran is approaching a “strategic junction”.

“We are approaching a strategic junction in the joint operation against Iran,” Zamir was quoted by the Israeli military as saying.

“Thus far, we have achieved significant accomplishments, including in relation to the objectives we set at the outset of the operation. We will continue to act with determination and deepen the degradation of the regime,” he added.

The White House has said Trump’s demand that Iran reach a deal within the next seven hours, saying only the US president knows how he will respond if Tehran fails to comply.

“The Iranian regime has until 8PM Eastern Time to meet the moment and make a deal with the United States,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Al Jazeera.

“Only the president knows where things stand and what he will do.”

In an Easter message released Tuesday by the Vatican, Leo suggested a parallel between Christ’s crucifixion and the suffering of South Lebanese Christians.

“In your misfortune, in the injustice you endure, in the feeling of abandonment you experience, you are very close to Jesus. You are close to Him also on this Easter Day when He conquered the forces of evil, and which resonates for you as a promise of the future,” read the message.

The message was written in French, was signed by the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and was addressed to the residents of the village of Debel.

Iran-backed Iraqi militia known as Kataib Hezbollah said in a statement Tuesday that it will release American journalist Shelly Kittleson, who was kidnapped from a Baghdad street last week.

The group said its decision came “in appreciation of the patriotic stances of the outgoing Prime Minister” Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, without giving more details. It added that “this initiative will not be repeated in future.”

The Israeli army has issued a warning for all vessels anchoring or sailing ‌in the maritime area between Lebanon’s Tyre and Ras Naqoura. All vessels must immediately sail north of the Tyre area, the military ‌said.

US President Donald Trump has said that the US is ready to carry out heavy strikes against Iran if his 8 pm deadline is not met on Tuesday. Speaking to Fox News, Trump said if the negotiations with Iran make progress, and something tangible emerges, the deadline could change.

“But at this hour, he didn't want to put odds on it. But he said it is moving forward with the plans that we have. That's a huge deal," he added.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Baghaei has responded to Trump’s ‘a civilization will die tonight’ threat.

“The power of a ‘CIVILIZED’ nation’s culture, logic, and faith in its righteous cause will undoubtedly prevail over the logic of brute force,” Baghaei wrote in a post on X.

“A nation that has every faith in the righteousness of its path shall harness all its capacities and capabilities to safeguard its rights and legitimate interests.”

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday accused Iran of committing acts of terrorism in the Strait of Hormuz by attacking commercial shipping vessels attempting to navigate the key waterway.

“The whole world has been impacted, unfortunately, because Iran is violating every law known by striking commercials vessels in the Straits of Hormuz,” Rubio told reporters at the State Department. “It’s a big problem for the world. I mean, this is a regime that doesn’t believe in laws and rules or anything like that. It’s a state sponsor of terrorism so it is not surprising that they’re now conducting terrorist operations against commercial vessels.”

Amid the rising civilian fatalities in the ongoing US-Iran war, the UN has reminded that ‘even wars have rules’.

“The Geneva Conventions protect civilians in conflict and help ensure assistance reaches those in need, without discrimination,” the UN said in a post on X.

The situation in the Middle East continues to worsen, and the military conflict is still escalating, hitting the world economy and energy security and drawing deep concerns from the international community. China has been working to help bring about a ceasefire and an end to the conflict.

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) failed to approve Bahrain's resolution on protecting shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, after Russia and China veto UN resolution aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz as US deadline for Iran deal looms.

Iranians have formed human chains around critical infrastructure, including the Kazerun Combined Cycle Power Plant, in a defiant show of unity to protect the nation’s energy facilities from US terror strikes, Tasnim news agency reported on Tuesday.

Hours before US President Donald Trump's latest ultimatum to Iran to agree to a ceasefire approaches, Tehran leaders are now suggesting of a escalation and a region-wide conflict, Bloomberg reported.

The US and Israel have taken out layers of senior commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps over the course of the nearly six-week war, but those who remain are girding for a protracted battle, with little fear of Trump’s threats to destroy civilian infrastructure. This could spark an upsurge in fighting that would further engulf Middle Eastern countries and exacerbate what has become a global energy crisis.

The Iranian Embassy in South Africa has responded to US President Donald Trump’s “a whole civilization will die tonight” threat.

“You and your allies will suffer an unforgettable hit from the ancient civilization of Iran,” the Iranian Embassy said in its post on X.

The White House denied Tuesday that remarks by Vice President JD Vance about military operations in Iran had contained any suggestion of a US nuclear strike on Tehran.

After Vance said US forces have tools they “so far haven’t decided to use” to enforce a dramatic ultimatum from President Donald Trump, the White House said on X: “Literally nothing @VP said here ’implies’ this, you absolute buffoons.”

The White House was responding to an account associated with former vice president Kamala Harris that said Vance implied Trump “might use nuclear weapons.”

The US Embassy in Manama, Bahrain, has directed all of its US government employees to shelter in place.

"We recommend all Americans in Bahrain do the same until further notice," the embassy said. "To the extent possible, remain in a secure structure, and stay away from windows," it added.

Majed al-Ansari, the spokesperson of Qatar’s foreign ministry, has said that his country has “been urging all parties to find a resolution out of this war before it spirals out of control.”

The spokesperson also told CNN that any agreement with Iran should come in consensus with all regional actors and “cannot exclude” any regional partner.

Iran’s IRNA news agency has reported that three people were killed after an Israeli strike on the Seyed Esmail market in Tehran. Two people were also wounded and four shops collapsed as a result of the strike, the report added.

The Israeli Military, in a statement, said it struck bridges in Tehran, Karaj, Tabriz, Kashan, and Qom that were being used by Iranian forces to transport weapons and military equipment.

The Iranian Embassy in Pakistan has responded to US President Donald Trump’s threat of ‘whole civilization will die tonight’.
“You don't know how civilizations work because [you] Never had one,” the Embassy said.

“They are not born over a night and will not die over a night,” it added.

Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer has responded to President Trump’s threat against Iran, calling the US President “an extremely sick person.”

Schumer has joined with others in his party in forcing votes on legislation that would halt Trump from ordering further attacks on Iran unless he received congressional approval.

Schumer said on social media that any Republican who declines to vote “against this wanton war of choice owns every consequence” of Trump’s actions.

A new draft of a UN Security Council resolution aimed at protecting shipping in the Strait of Hormuz has reportedly dropped language around the possible use of force.

According to CNN, the language in the previous draft authorized the use of “all defensive means necessary” to secure passage through the strait. Both China and Russia had opposed the initial draft over its language.

Pakistan’s military on Tuesday voiced support for government efforts aimed at ending the conflict in the Middle East.

According to AP, the Pakistani Army also warned that recent attacks on Saudi Arabia risk undermining ongoing diplomatic initiatives.

The remarks came during a meeting of top commanders chaired by Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, according to a statement from the military.

A US official who spoke to AP said the strikes overnight were hitting targets previously struck and not directed at oil infrastructure. The official didn’t clarify what was specifically hit on the island.

The US has already struck various targets on the island, including air defenses, a radar site, the airport and a hovercraft base.