A ceasefire that arrived with plenty of caveats
The agreement between the United States and Iran drew quick praise from several governments, even as doubts surfaced almost immediately about whether the fighting was actually over.
Iraq’s foreign ministry said it welcomed the ceasefire and “values this development as a step that would contribute to reducing tensions, enhancing opportunities for de-escalation, and reinforcing security and stability in the region.”
Australia also backed the deal, saying it “wants to see the ceasefire upheld and a resolution to the conflict.” Canberra pointed to the disruption caused by Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz and attacks on shipping vessels and energy infrastructure, both of which had rattled global markets. It also called “on all parties” to follow international law.
Pakistan, which helped lead the push for a ceasefire, sounded especially hopeful that this could be the turning point in the war.
“Both parties have displayed remarkable wisdom and understanding and have remained constructively engaged in furthering the cause of peace and stability,” Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif wrote on social media.
A shaky start
The problem with ceasefires, as usual, is getting everyone to stop shooting.
Soon after the White House said Israel had agreed to the truce, an Israeli military official told the Associated Press that the country was still striking Iran. Early Wednesday local time, both Israel and the United Arab Emirates warned of incoming missiles.
The timing also mattered. The ceasefire was announced just as NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte was preparing to visit the White House on Wednesday. A devastating U.S. assault on Iran would have made that meeting awkward at best, and perhaps worse, given that European allies had already refused President Donald Trump’s demands that they support the attacks.
Political fallout in Washington
At home, Trump’s agreement immediately unsettled Iran hawks such as Sen. Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina. Graham used social media to call for several forms of congressional review of the deal and said he was “extremely cautious regarding what is fact vs. fiction or misrepresentation.”
Some critics argued that Iran’s acceptance of a temporary opening through the Strait of Hormuz suggested the United States had backed down. Nate Swanson, a former official who negotiated with Iran for the Trump administration last year, said the arrangement looked like a concession.
“If you go back two months and you think the big U.S. gain is the Strait of Hormuz is open, it’s an incredibly ill-conceived adventure and Iran is in many ways stronger than they were before,” Swanson said. “It’s pretty sobering, but you could understand why the president made his decision.”
The White House, naturally, was not presenting it that way.
White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt called the ceasefire a “victory” on Tuesday.
“The success of our military created maximum leverage, allowing President Trump and the team to engage in tough negotiations that have now created an opening for a diplomatic solution and long-term peace,” Leavitt said. “Additionally, President Trump got the Strait of Hormuz reopened.”
Competing victory laps
Tehran had its own version of events, and it was not shy about it. Iranian state media described the ceasefire announcement as Trump’s “withdrawal,” saying the U.S. president had “retreated.”
After weeks of escalating attacks, and after Trump’s threat on Tuesday of civilizational erasure in Iran, many U.S. allies were looking toward what Sharif called the “Islamabad Talks” on Friday, hoping they could help wind down more than a month of war that has shaken the Middle East.
But a statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggested the next round of negotiations may not be especially smooth.
Sharif had said the ceasefire meant the U.S. and Iran, “along with their allies, have agreed to an immediate ceasefire everywhere including Lebanon.” Netanyahu said otherwise.
“The two-weeks ceasefire does not include Lebanon,” he said.
Cheyenne Haslett contributed to this report.
