Iran Truce Announcement Draws International Praise

Bangla Press Desk:  Several countries have welcomed the news of a two-week temporary ceasefire in the war between Israel and US on the one hand and Iran on the other.

US President Donald Trump said Tuesday evening that with Pakistani mediation he is willing to withhold a threat to destroy Iran so long as Tehran agrees to a ceasefire and open the Strait of Hormuz completely.Trump had promised early in the day that “a whole civilisation will die tonight.”

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who helped mediate the ceasefire, said in a post on X that he had invited Iranian and US delegations to meet in Islamabad on Friday.

“Both parties have displayed remarkable wisdom and understanding and have remained constructively engaged in furthering the cause of peace and stability,” Sharif wrote on social media.

“We earnestly hope, that the ‘Islamabad Talks’ succeed in achieving sustainable peace and wish to share more good news in coming days!”

Iraq calls for ‘sustainable dialogue’

Iraq’s foreign ministry said Wednesday it “welcomes” a two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran, calling for “serious and sustainable dialogue” between the nations.

The ministry “calls for building upon this positive step by launching serious and sustainable dialogue tracks that address the root causes of the disputes and strengthen mutual trust,” it posted on X.

Australia thanks negotiators

Australia welcomed the agreement between the US, Israel and Iran for a truce to help negotiate a resolution to the conflict, the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.

“We thank and support the work of negotiators, including Pakistan, Egypt, Turkiye and Saudi Arabia, in advancing de-escalation efforts,” the prime minister said in a statement.

Egypt stresses on importance of building on this step 

Egypt welcomed the move by parties in the conflict to sign on to a truce suspending  military operations in the region, its foreign ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

Egypt  emphasised the importance of respecting the sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and Jordan, rejecting any violations or threats to their sovereignty, especially given the close link between their security and stability and Egypt’s own security, the ministry said.

The UN chief calls on all parties to comply with obligations

“The Secretary-General welcomes the announcement of a two-week ceasefire by the United States and Iran,” Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General said.

Antonio Guterres “calls on all the parties to the current conflict in the Middle East to comply with their obligations under international law and to abide by the terms of the ceasefire in order to pave the way toward a lasting and comprehensive peace in the region,” Dujarric added.Markets welcomed the truce announcement

Oil prices plunged Wednesday while stocks rallied after the United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire that will see Tehran temporarily reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz.

With Donald Trump’s deadline approaching for the Islamic republic to reopen the waterway or face obliteration, he announced a halt to attacks for two weeks and said he had received a “workable” 10-point proposal.

Iran later said it had agreed to safe passage in the Strait, through which a fifth of global oil and gas passes.