Trump announces ceasefire between Israel and Iran after days of escalation

US President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that a ceasefire between Israel and Iran had come into effect, following nearly two weeks of intense conflict. The statement was posted on his social media platform, Truth, at 9 a.m. Tbilisi time, in which he called on both parties to honour the agreement and avoid further escalation.

Trump had initially revealed late on Monday that the two sides had reached a ceasefire deal, saying: “Within 24 hours, the world will welcome the official end of the 12-day war.”

However, confusion surrounded the announcement as Iran initially denied the existence of a ceasefire agreement. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on social media that no formal deal had been reached, but added that Iran would refrain from retaliating if Israel halted its attacks by 4 a.m.

Shortly after that deadline passed, Araghchi posted again, saying Iranian military operations had continued “until the last minute” as a response to Israeli “aggression.”

Tensions remained high in the hours leading up to the announcement. Early Monday morning, Iran launched a missile strike on the Israeli city of Beersheba, killing four people. In a retaliatory move, Israeli warplanes reportedly targeted a residential area in Iran’s northern Gilan province, killing at least nine civilians and injuring 33 others, according to Iranian state media.

The ceasefire efforts followed an escalation over the past week. On June 13, Israel launched strikes targeting Iranian nuclear sites and weapons depots. Iran responded with missile and drone attacks on Israeli territory. In turn, US bombers struck Iranian nuclear facilities in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan overnight on June 21–22.

The United States, along with Israel, has accused Iran of nearing the development of a nuclear weapon - a claim Tehran denies, insisting its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.

Reports from Axios and CBS News indicated that diplomatic efforts to broker the ceasefire intensified after Iran attacked a US military base in Qatar in response to a prior American strike. According to sources, US officials - including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Special Envoy Steve Whitkoff - engaged in both direct and indirect talks with Iranian representatives.

Qatar is believed to have played a key mediating role. According to Axios, the Qatari Prime Minister spoke with Iranian officials following the attack on the US base and conveyed Tehran’s willingness to halt further strikes. In return, Washington reportedly agreed to pause its military actions and resume diplomatic engagement.