Washington, June 24: In a dramatic late-night announcement, former U.S. President Donald Trump declared a ceasefire between Iran and Israel, claiming the deal was reached with assistance from Qatar. The announcement, made via social media at around 3:30 AM IST on Monday, caught many off guard—particularly since neither Iran nor Israel had confirmed such an agreement at the time.
The announcement came just hours after escalating military actions in the Middle East. On Monday night, Iran launched an attack on the Al Udeid U.S. airbase in Qatar, located just 32 kilometers from Doha. The strike was reportedly in retaliation for an earlier American assault on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Regional powers like Lebanon and Saudi Arabia condemned the Iranian action, but Tehran remained defiant, stating that further attacks would be met with similar responses.
President Trump dismissed the Iranian assault as “weak,” stating that of the 14 missiles fired, 13 were intercepted, and the remaining one landed in an uninhabited area. “There were no injuries. I thank Iran for warning us in advance,” Trump posted, further suggesting that this might be a turning point for regional peace.
However, just hours after Trump’s post, Iran’s military issued a public statement denying any agreement regarding a ceasefire. Tehran emphasized that no settlement had been reached and that any final decision would come directly from Iran’s military command. Meanwhile, both Israel and Iran exchanged fresh allegations of new strikes on Tuesday morning. Reports claimed four Israeli and nine Iranian fatalities.
The U.S. claimed Qatar played a crucial mediating role at Washington’s request, with American officials stating that Israel had already agreed to the ceasefire. However, Iran’s rejection has thrown the effectiveness of the so-called truce into question.
As of this report, while Israel has indicated its willingness to abide by the ceasefire, Iran’s position remains uncertain, casting doubt over the true state of peace in the region.
