On Monday evening, Trump issued a highly provocative threat on social media regarding Iran, stating that if no agreement is reached, "the entire civilization will die tonight and can never be restored," further intensifying pressure on Tehran and abruptly escalating tensions just before his ultimatum for Iran to fully resume navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. Trump also claimed Iran has undergone a "complete and total regime change," hinting at perhaps a "revolutionary and beautiful" outcome, describing the night as "one of the most important moments in the long and complex history of the world." The report notes this statement quickly triggered strong legal and moral warnings. Multiple experts and former military officials stated that if U.S. forces act upon such threats, they could face serious legal risks. Threats targeting civilian infrastructure such as bridges, power grids, and energy systems may constitute war crimes. One person directly said that threatening to destroy an entire civilization is nearly the very definition of "terrorism."
Subsequently, the situation saw a clear cooling turn. Less than two hours before Trump’s self-imposed deadline arrived, he announced again that the U.S. had reached a two-week ceasefire agreement with Iran, contingent upon Iran's "complete, immediate, and safe" resumption of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. He also mentioned that Iran had delivered a ten-point peace proposal via Pakistan, which constitutes a "workable basis for negotiation." White House officials later confirmed that Israel has also agreed to this ceasefire framework, though the U.S. has not yet specified which exact terms of Iran’s proposal it accepts. Iran’s Supreme National Security Council stated that peace talks will begin on April 10 in Islamabad, with a tentative two-week duration, extendable by mutual consent. Iran added that its proposal includes the withdrawal of U.S. combat forces from regional bases and deployment points, lifting of U.S. Level I and II sanctions, halting of warfare against all components of the "Axis of Resistance," and proposing that future passage through the Strait of Hormuz be coordinated under Iranian armed forces and conducted according to a secure shipping agreement—though many details remain unverified by the United States.
However, the ceasefire announcement did not immediately bring calm to the Middle East. On Wednesday morning, both the UAE and Israel continued to sound missile alerts, indicating that diplomatic efforts coexisted with battlefield chaos. The report notes that since the outbreak of war in February, Trump has repeatedly extended his own ultimatums at the last minute—this time was no exception. He said this decision was partly based on conversations with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief General Munir, while Pakistan had publicly urged the U.S. to delay the deadline by two weeks just hours earlier, creating space for diplomacy and urging Iran to simultaneously open the Strait of Hormuz.
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Original article: toutiao.com/article/1861879856783371/
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