Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has announced the end of the 12-day war between Iran and Israel, marking a major breakthrough after nearly two weeks of intense hostilities that left hundreds dead and heightened fears of a wider Middle East conflict.
In a nationally televised address carried by the state-run IRNA news agency and reported by AFP, President Pezeshkian said the war had concluded following what he described as the “heroic resistance” of the Iranian people.
“Today, after the heroic resistance of our great nation, whose determination makes history, we are witnessing the establishment of a truce and the ending of this 12-day war imposed by the adventurism and provocation of the Israeli regime,” Pezeshkian said.
The announcement came just hours after former U.S. President Donald Trump, who played a key role in brokering the truce, declared that both Iran and Israel had agreed to a “complete and total ceasefire,” which would be implemented in phases over a 24-hour period.
According to Trump’s post on his Truth Social platform, Iran was to suspend its military operations first, with Israel following 12 hours later. Trump expressed confidence that the ceasefire would be permanent, stating, “I think the ceasefire is unlimited. It's going to go forever.”
Despite the optimism, confusion briefly clouded the ceasefire deal. Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi initially denied any formal agreement had been reached, insisting that no truce was yet in place. However, he later indicated Tehran might halt its strikes if Israel ceased its aggression.
“As of now, there is NO agreement on any ceasefire or cessation of military operations,” Araghchi stated, adding, “However, provided that the Israeli regime stops its illegal aggression against the Iranian people no later than 4 a.m. Tehran time, we have no intention to continue our response afterwards.”
Even as the ceasefire was being finalized, reports of continued hostilities emerged. Explosions were reported in Tehran early Tuesday morning, just hours before the ceasefire was scheduled to begin. The Israeli military also said it had intercepted a fresh barrage of Iranian missiles.
The 12-day conflict saw heavy casualties, with hundreds killed in Iran and dozens in Israel. It represented one of the most direct and intense confrontations between the two longtime adversaries in recent history.
In his remarks, Trump praised both nations for their “stamina, courage, and intelligence” in agreeing to end the war, which he said had the potential to drag on for years and wreak havoc across the region.
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