U.S. President Donald Trump announced about an hour and a half before the deadline of his ultimatum to Iran that he agreed to a two-week ceasefire. The New York Times (NYT) reported that Iran also accepted the two-week ceasefire proposal after last-minute intervention by China.

At about 6:30 p.m. on the 7th (local time), President Trump posted on social media, “Based on conversations with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan Army Chief of Staff Asim Munir, I agree to suspend for two weeks the bombing and attacks against Iran on the condition that Iran fully, immediately, and safely opens the Strait of Hormuz,” and said, “This will be a ceasefire that applies to both sides.”

He said, “The reason for this decision is that we have already exceeded all military objectives, and we are very close to a decisive agreement on long-term peace with Iran and on peace in the Middle East.”

He continued, “We have received a ten-point proposal from Iran, and we judge it sufficiently feasible to serve as a basis for negotiations,” adding, “For most of the issues that had been contentious in the past, the United States and Iran have already reached agreement, and this two-week period will be used to finalize and conclude that agreement.”

The NYT, citing three Iranian officials, reported that Iran also accepted the ceasefire proposal following Pakistan mediation efforts and last-minute involvement by its key ally China. China was said to have urged Iran to adopt a flexible posture and to de-escalate. The Iranian officials said the truce had been approved by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei.

Earlier, Prime Minister Sharif, who is mediating talks between the United States and Iran, posted on X roughly five hours before the ultimatum deadline, writing, “I earnestly request President Trump to extend the deadline by two weeks so that diplomacy can proceed.” He also wrote, “I sincerely ask our Iranian brothers to open the Strait of Hormuz during that period as a gesture of goodwill.”

Prime Minister Sharif added, “For the long-term peace and stability of the region, I urge all parties to the conflict to observe a two-week ceasefire.”