Trump claims Iran asked U.S. for ceasefire

Trump claims Iran asked U.S. for ceasefire

President Trump stated Iran requested a truce, but emphasized that he will only consider it if the Strait of Hormuz is reopened.

Why it matters: The Iranian regime has not confirmed this, and it has rejected many of Trump’s earlier assertions of progress toward a deal.

While Iran and the United States have communicated through mediators, Tehran denies having direct negotiations with the Trump administration.

Trump may be alluding to a statement made by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday during a phone chat with European Council President António Costa.

Pezeshkian stated that Iran was willing to terminate the war but only if the United States ceased its strikes and Iran received guarantees that the war would not resume.

Donald Trump stated on Truth Social that Iran’s newly minted president, whom he termed as less harsh but more strategic than previous leaders, has asked a cease-fire from the US.

He stressed that Washington would only consider such a step if the Strait of Hormuz was completely free, secure, and unfettered. Trump also warned that until then, the US will continue its harsh efforts against Iran, claiming that it would “strike relentlessly,” even using the phrase “back to the stone age.”

Reality check: Pezeshkian was already president before the war, and most analysts believe more hardline figures are currently in charge.

What to watch: On Tuesday, China and Pakistan proposed a fresh idea for ending the war in Iran, which involves an immediate ceasefire and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.