Former U.S. President Donald Trump claimed on Monday evening that Israel and Iran have agreed to a phased ceasefire aimed at ending the “12‑day war.” He described the accord as a “Complete and Total CEASEFIRE,” contingent upon peaceful compliance by both sides.
Trump, in a Truth Social post, outlined the plan: Iran would initiate the ceasefire with a 12‑hour pause in hostilities, followed by a subsequent 12‑hour halt by Israel. If both adhered to the terms, the conflict would officially end 24 hours from the start time. “It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE… for 12 hours… then upon the 24th Hour, an Official END to THE 12 DAY WAR,” he wrote.
Trump praised both nations, stating on Truth Social that he congratulated them “on having the Stamina, Courage, and Intelligence to end, what should be called, ‘THE 12 DAY WAR.’” He added: “This is a War that could have gone on for years, and destroyed the entire Middle East, but it didn’t, and never will!” euronews.com+4aljazeera.com+4foxnews.com+4.
According to Trump, the ceasefire timeline is as follows:
- 12 hours after launch: Iran halts missile and drone strikes.
- 24 hours after launch: Israel halts its final military missions.
- Then: The world will mark the official end of the conflict apnews.com+4washingtonpost.com+46abc.com+4abcnews.go.com.
Role of Mediators
Trump credited Qatar’s leadership for facilitating the agreement. He said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu consented, and that Qatar’s prime minister “secured Tehran’s agreement during a call with Iranian officials”. Reuters reported that U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and special envoy Steve Witkoff were also involved in direct and indirect negotiations en.wikipedia.org+3reuters.com+3apnews.com+3.
Mixed Signals from Tehran
International news outlets noted that Iranian officials have not formally confirmed a binding ceasefire. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi clarified that, while Iran ceased its “punishment” strikes at 4 a.m. Tehran time, they only agreed to pause retaliation if Israel also halted strikes by then. He emphasized that, “The final decision on the cessation of our military operations will be made later” axios.com+6reuters.com+6cbsnews.com+6.
Reality on the Ground
Just hours after Trump’s announcement, fresh missile salvos were launched from Iran toward southern Israel. Israeli emergency responders reported three fatalities and multiple injuries in Be’er Sheva and Tel Aviv. Reuters reported six waves of missiles, and Magen David Adom confirmed at least three deaths reuters.com. U.S. intelligence officials monitoring the situation indicated it was too early to assess if the phased ceasefire was being honored washingtonpost.com+1youtube.com+1.
U.S. Strategic Calculations
Trump’s announcement came after the U.S. carried out airstrikes on Iranian underground nuclear facilities over the weekend. He asserted those strikes and the diplomatic effort would prevent a prolonged regional war .
In AP coverage, Trump emphasized that the ceasefire deal vindicated his strategy: “It has been fully agreed… that there will be a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE,” positioning it as validation for the U.S.’s more aggressive intervention youtube.com+4apnews.com+4foxnews.com+4.
International Response and Next Steps
European diplomats in Geneva met with Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi on June 20, but failed to secure a ceasefire. Araghchi reportedly affirmed that Iran would not engage in direct talks with the U.S. while Israeli strikes persisted apnews.com+6axios.com+6thetimes.co.uk+6.
The global community has voiced concerns over escalating violence, with the UN calling for maximum restraint. NATO and other international bodies urged swift de‑escalation to avoid spiraling regional conflict .
✔️ Summary
Trump is asserting that Israel and Iran have accepted a phased ceasefire — a 12‑hour pause by each side followed by a declaration ending the 12‑day conflict. The plan hinges on mutual adherence, with Qatar, the U.S., and Israel playing key roles. However, Iranian leadership has not formally sealed the deal, and missile strikes afterward indicate the situation remains volatile. Observers caution that true confirmation of a sustained ceasefire will require several days of silence across battle lines.
