US-Iran ceasefire tested, JD Vance to travel to Pakistan for peace talks

Israel pounds Lebanon in deadliest day of strikes on country

Michael Loria

Israeli strikes killed between 180 and 260 people and left around 1,000 people wounded in Lebanon on Wednesday, local authorities reported.

Lebanon’s health ministry reported 182 deaths. The country’s civil defense service reported 254. The two authorities reported around 1,000 people injured. 

The death toll in the country bordering Israel is the highest yet for a single day of the war and comes in the wake of an announced break in hostilities. Iran, Israel and the U.S. were at odds about whether the ceasefire included Lebanon, where Israel is waging a campaign against Iran’s ally Hezbollah.

Beirut saw the worst of the strikes. Israeli strikes killed 91 people in Lebanon’s capital city, the civil defense service said. Residents said attacks came without warnings to evacuate.

World leaders not involved in the fighting are slamming what they described as "indiscriminate strikes" that threaten the newly announced ceasefire. 

"We condemn these strikes in the strongest possible terms," French President Emmanuel Macron said in a statement. "They pose a direct threat to the sustainability of the ceasefire that has just been reached. Lebanon must be fully covered by it."

Contributing by Reuters

Will Trump move to punish NATO?

Michael Loria

Asked whether President Donald Trump was considering punishing NATO countries for not supporting the Iran war, the White House directed USA TODAY to comments from top administration officials slamming countries in the international organization for barring U.S. troops from using their bases.

"Why are we in NATO? You have to ask that question," said Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a Fox News interview, which the White House referred to USA TODAY. "Why do we send trillions of dollars and have all of these American forces stationed in the region, if in our time of need, we won't be allowed to use those bases?"

The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that Trump was considering withdrawing American troops from NATO member countries that haven't supported the Iran war and closing a military base in Spain or Germany.

American troops are stationed on U.S. bases throughout NATO member countries in Europe. Some NATO countries have moved to stop U.S. troops from using the facilities in connection with the war. Spain blocked troops from using bases in the southern part of the country.

Support for Israel hits new low in US, poll shows

Eduardo Cuevas

Support for Israel among Americans hit a new low amid the Iran war, a recent Pew Research Center survey found.

According to results published April 7, 60% of American adults had an unfavorable opinion of Israel, compared with 53% a year earlier. Around 37% of respondents had a favorable view of the longstanding U.S. ally, a historic beneficiary of foreign aid.

The poll results marked a 20-point shift since 2022, when most Americans had favorable views of Israel. Around 42% of respondents then had an unfavorable opinion of the country.

Younger Americans in particular held negative views toward Israel. Across the ideological spectrum, 70% of respondents under age 50 had unfavorable opinions of Israel, Pew found. Read more here about the poll results.

Are ships moving through the Strait of Hormuz?

Michael Loria

Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, the critical oil shipping lane that has become a focal point of peace talks, appears to remain stalled, a USA TODAY analysis of tanker tracking data shows.

Leaders from the United States and Israel say any truce will be contingent on Iran granting ships safe passage through the strait. Iran declared it would allow vessels through the waterway if attacks on the country are halted.

But nearly 24 hours after President Donald Trump announced the ceasefire, only a handful of ships have passed through the channel, down from 60 per day, according to MarineTraffic and other trackers.

Among ships that successfully transited the strait are bulk cargo carriers Daytona Beach, sailing under the flag of Liberia, and NJ Earth, sailing under the flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis, MaritimeTraffic data shows. Other data showed two Greek-owned and two Chinese-owned bulk carriers have passed through the strait since early Wednesday.

Contributing: Reuters

Vance calls Iranian leader's criticism ‘reasonable misunderstanding’

Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy

Vice President JD Vance, who has been on an official trip to Budapest, Hungry, disputed allegations from Iran’s Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf in remarks to reporters.

Ghalibaf said in a Wednesday statement that ongoing strikes on Lebanon violated the fragile ceasefire that President Donald Trump announced Tuesday evening, in addition to raising accusations about two other issues in the region.

But Vance called the leader's comments a "reasonable misunderstanding." He added that "neither us nor the Israelis said that that was going to be part of the ceasefire.” Vance also put a positive spin on the negotiations, telling reporters “If (Ghalibaf is) frustrated about three issues, that actually means that there's a lot of agreement.”

The VP also said Israel has offered to “check themselves” in Lebanon “because they want to make sure our negotiation is successful.” Hours earlier, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that Vance, along with special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law, would be traveling to Islamabad, Pakistan, for key talks. 

Iranian leader says it's 'unreasonable' to continue negotiations after violations

Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy

Iran’s Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said in a post on X that it was "unreasonable" to continue negotiations after the violation of three clauses of the newly hashed out ceasefire agreement with the United States.

Ghalibaf referenced the ceasefire deal President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social on Tuesday, in which he said an Iranian counterproposal was "a workable basis on which to negotiate." But the Middle Eastern leader on Wednesday alleged that "3 clauses of this proposal have been violated so far."

Ghalibaf cited non-compliance of a ceasefire in Lebanon, the entry of a drone into Iranian airspace over the Fars Province and the denial of Iran’s right to uranium enrichment.

“Now, the very ‘workable basis on which to negotiate’ have been openly and clearly violated, even before the negotiations began,” he wrote.

Though Trump announced the two-week agreement on Tuesday evening, Israel continued bombing Lebanon into Wednesday. U.S. officials have argued Lebanon was not involved in the plan.

Stocks soar on ceasefire news

Daniel de Visé

The stock market posted colossal gains on April 8, snapping out of a five-week funk set off by the Iran war.

The surge came after President Donald Trump announced a two-week ceasefire in Iran. It endured through the day, even as the ceasefire appeared increasingly fragile and threatened to unravel completely.

“Stocks clearly want to move past this conflict and go higher,” said Jeff Buchbinder, chief equity strategist for LPL Financial.

The Dow Jones average rose more than 1,300 points, up nearly 3%, one of its most dramatic one-day upward swings in recent memory. The S&P 500 rose 2.5%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq gained 2.8%. It wasn’t enough to erase all the accumulated losses to date in 2026, a year of zigzagging and volatility. The Dow, S&P and Nasdaq all remain below where they started 2026, and farther below their historic highs.

JD Vance to travel to Islamabad for negotiation talks

Natalie Neysa Alund

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt during a Wednesday afternoon press conference said negotiation talks between Iran and the United States are set in Pakistan's capital of Islamabad this weekend.

President Donald Trump's, Leavitt said, is dispatching his negotiation team lead by Vice President JD Vance, Middle East special envoy Steven Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

"We know we look forward to those in person meetings," Leavitt told reporters.

Will the United States withdraw from NATO?

Natalie Neysa Alund

When asked by a reporter during a press conference at the White House whether the United States plans to withdraw from NATO, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said it’s a possibility.

“It’s something the president has discussed and I think it’s something the president will be discussing in couple of hours with (NATO) Secretary General (Mark) Rutte,” Leavitt said.

U.S. wants Strait of Hormuz reopened without tolls

Zac Anderson

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the U.S. is pushing Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz without tolls amid reporting that Tehran wants to charge for passage through the strait.

Leavitt said the U.S. wants the strait opened "without limitation, including tolls." Trump told ABC News April 8 that he's considering a "joint venture" with Iran on the strait.

“We’re thinking of doing it as a joint venture. It’s a way of securing it — also securing it from lots of other people," Trump said when asked about Tehran levying a fee on ships traversing the strait.

Leavitt disputes 'false' report that Strait of Hormuz is closed

Zac Anderson

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt disputed a report in Iranian state media that the Strait of Hormuz is closed in response to Israel's attacks on Lebanon.

"This is a case of what they're saying publicly is different privately," Leavitt said April 8. "We have seen an uptick in traffic in the strait today and I will reiterate the president's expectation and demand that the Strait of Hormuz is reopened immediately, quickly and safely."

"That is is his expectation and it has been relayed to him privately that that is what's taking place and these reports publicly are false," Leavitt added.

Iranian diplomat says Israel must stop attacks on Lebanon as part of ceasefire

Christopher Cann

Iran's foreign minister, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, said the ceasefire his country agreed to extends to Lebanon and called on the United States and Israel to "act on its commitments."

"The Iran–U.S. Ceasefire terms are clear and explicit: the U.S. must choose—ceasefire or continued war via Israel. It cannot have both," he said in a statement on X. "The world sees the massacres in Lebanon. The ball is in the U.S. court, and the world is watching whether it will act on its commitments."

Iran closes strait in response to Israeli strikes on Lebanon: state media

Christopher Cann

Iran said it closed the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday in response to Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon, Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency reported.

The fragile ceasefire brokered between the United States and Iran largely hinges on the critical trade route remaining open while negotiations take place over the next two weeks. It's unclear how the move will impact diplomatic efforts.

At least 112 dead in Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon, health ministry says

Christopher Cann

A wave of Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon killed at least 112 people and wounded over 830 others on Wednesday, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.

The airstrikes bombarded Lebanon's capital of Beirut and came without warning, the ministry said. Among the dead were more than a dozen medics.

Earlier in the day, the Israeli military said it had carried out its largest attack on Iran-backed Hezbollah. The military said it struck 100 Hezbollah command centers and military sites were targeted in Beirut, the Bekaa Valley and southern Lebanon.

Contributing: Reuters

Iran-aligned militia groups launch drone attacks in Iraq

Cybele Mayes-Osterman

Militia groups "aligned with Iran" launched multiple drone attacks near Baghdad's airport and a diplomatic support center the day after the United States and Iran agreed to a ceasefire, the U.S. embassy in Baghdad said in an April 8 security alert.

"They may intend to conduct additional terrorist attacks against U.S. citizens and targets associated with the United States throughout Iraq, including in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region," the alert read. It warned U.S. citizens to leave Iraq and not to travel within the country by air "in light of the ongoing risk of missiles, drones, and rockets in Iraqi airspace."

Trump says US-Iran talks with take place behind 'closed doors'

Christopher Cann

President Trump on Wednesday said negotiations with Iran will take place behind closed doors and that there's only "one group of meaningful points" that the U.S. will be discussing, though he did not detail those points.

"Numerous Agreements, Lists, and Letters are being sent out by people that have absolutely nothing to do with the U.S.A. / Iran Negotiation, in many cases, they are total Fraudsters, Charlatans, and WORSE. They will be rapidly exposed after our Federal Investigation is completed," Trump said in a post on social media.

"There is only one group of meaningful “POINTS” that are acceptable to the United States, and we will be discussing them behind closed doors during these Negotiations," he continued. "These are the POINTS that are the basis on which we agreed to a CEASEFIRE. It is something that is reasonable, and can easily be dispensed with."

US, Israel say ceasefire does not include Lebanon, contradicting announcement

Christopher Cann

President Donald Trump and Israeli officials said the ceasefire brokered by Pakistan does not include Lebanon, where Israel has launched an extensive ground invasion and destroyed entire villages as part of its war against Iran-backed Hezbollah.

However, Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in a Tuesday message announcing the deal, said Iran, the U.S. and its allies "have agreed to an immediate ceasefire everywhere including Lebanon and elsewhere, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY."

In an interview with PBS on Wednesday, President Donald Trump said "they were not included in the deal," speaking of Hezbollah in Lebanon. "That's a separate skirmish," he added. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the ceasefire does not apply to Lebanon and promised to keep fighting Hezbollah. The Israeli military said it launched its largest bombing campaign on Wednesday. The Lebanese Health Ministry reported dozens of deaths and hundreds of injuries.

After Hezbollah attacked Israel following the killing of Iran's former supreme leader Ali Khamenei on Feb. 28, Israel launched a ground invasion into southern Lebanon. The Israeli military said it would indefinitely occupy a large section of southern Lebanon and has begun destroying homes in villages near the Israeli border. More than a million people in Lebanon have been displaced and more than 1,500 people have been killed, the country's health ministry said.

Oil prices fall following ceasefire. Is cheaper gas next?

Rachel Barber

Oil prices fell the morning following the announcement of a two-week ceasefire deal between the United States and Iran on April 8, but it's unclear when Americans on the hunt for cheaper gas will find it.

Fuel prices could continue to rise for months even after the Strait of Hormuz reopens, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

“Just as we had never before seen the strait close, we’ve never seen it reopen,” EIA Administrator Tristan Abbey said in an April 7 statement. “What exactly that looks like remains to be seen. Full restoration of flows will take months.”

The national average price of a gallon of regular unleaded gas held steady from the day before at about $4.17 on the morning of April 8, according to GasBuddy’s real-time tracker. Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at Gas Buddy, predicted it could fall below $4 within one or two weeks.

13,000 targets hit in 38 days of war with Iran

Cybele Mayes-Osterman

In 38 days of war with Iran, the U.S. military struck more than 13,000 targets and destroyed around 80% of Iran's air defense systems, Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters on April 8.

Around 1,500 air defense targets, more than 450 ballistic missile storage facilities and 800 one-way attack drone storage facilities, were hit, Caine said. More than 90% of the country's naval fleet – 150 ships and half of its small attack boats – were sunk, he added.

Caine said the war had also demolished Iran's defense industrial base and 90% of Iran's weapons facilities were attacked.

"Nearly 80% of Iran's nuclear industrial base was hit, further degrading their attempts to attain a nuclear weapon," he said.

Pakistani PM tells countries to 'respect ceasefire' as attacks continue

Christopher Cann

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urged countries to "respect the ceasefire" as missile fire continued across the Middle East on Wednesday.

"Violations of ceasefire have been reported at few places across the conflict zone which undermine the spirit of peace process," Sharif said on X. "I earnestly and sincerely urge all parties to exercise restraint and respect the ceasefire for two weeks, as agreed upon, so that diplomacy can take a lead role towards peaceful settlement of the conflict."

Iranian missiles were reported in Saudi Arabua, Qatar, Kuwait and other Gulf countries on Wednesday. Iranian state media said the strikes were in retaliation of an attack on an Iranian oil refinery.

Israel said it launched its most intense attack in Lebanon on Wednesday, with dozens killed and hundreds wounded, according to Lebanon's health ministry. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to continue attacking Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon. However, Sharif on Tuesday said the U.S. and its allies had agreed to an immediate ceasefire "everywhere including Lebanon."

Graham says no enrichment for Iran, expresses concern over negotiations

Christopher Cann

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, said that while he supports a diplomatic end to the war, he does not support any deal that allows Iran to enrich uranium. "As President @realDonaldTrump said this morning, all the highly enriched uranium must be removed from Iran and handed over to the United States," he said in a post on X.

"Allowing this regime to enrich in the future would be an affront to all those murdered by the regime since this war started and would be inconsistent with denying Iran a pathway toward a bomb in the future," he added. Iran has long held that it maintains a right to enrich uranium for peaceful energy purposes.

Graham, who has been among the most vocal supporters of the war in Congress, also expressed concern regarding negotiations.

"The supposed negotiating document, in my view, has some troubling aspects, but time will tell," Graham said. "I look forward to the architects of this proposal, the Vice President and others, coming forward to Congress and explaining how a negotiated deal meets our national security objectives in Iran."

Stock market soars on ceasefire news

Daniel de Visé

The zigzagging stock market soared at the opening bell on April 8, on news of a ceasefire in the Iran war.  

The Dow Jones was up more than 1,300 points, nearly 3%, shortly after the start of trading. The S&P 500 was up more than 2%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq had gained nearly 3%. 

Traders were elated by a Truth Social post from President Donald Trump announcing a two-week suspension of hostilities, a missive that arrived after the close of trading on April 7. Trump said Iran had agreed to open the Strait of Hormuz, a condition that sent oil prices plummeting. 

The market has a long way to go to erase its losses in 2026. Even after the dramatic gains, all three stock indexes remained down on the year.

Trump talks 'joint venture' with Iran on Strait of Hormuz tolls

Zac Anderson

Trumptold ABC News in an interview that the U.S. could be involved in a "joint venture" with Iran to charge tolls on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route that carries 20% of the world's oil.

“We’re thinking of doing it as a joint venture. It’s a way of securing it — also securing it from lots of other people," Trump said when asked about Tehran charging tolls on ships traveling through the strait.

"It's a beautiful thing," Trump added.

The U.S. and Iran agreed to a ceasefire April 7 in the war that began Feb. 28, with Trump saying the deal is "subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz." Iran's foreign minister said Iran's armed forces would coordinate safe passage, indicating Tehran would still control the strait, which wasn't the case before the war.

Iran's president affirms participation in Islamabad peace talks

Christopher Cann

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian affirmed that Tehran will participate in peace talks in Islamabad later this week, said Pakistan's prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif.

Sharif said in a statement on X that he spoke with Pezeshkian and expressed his "deep appreciation" that the Iranian leadership accepted the ceasefire proposal and plans for peace talks "aimed at our joint efforts to restore calm to the region."

"President Pezeshkian also affirmed Iran's participation in the upcoming negotiations, expressed gratitude for Pakistan's efforts, and extended his best wishes to the people of Pakistan," said Sharif. "Pakistan remains committed to working closely with all its friends and partners to strengthen peace and stability in the region and beyond."

Missiles fly across Mideast after ceasefire

Christopher Cann

Following an agreement to a two-week ceasefire between the U.S., Israel and Iran, missiles and drones continued flying across the Persian Gulf region.

On Wednesday, Kuwait reported at least 28 Iranian drones that targeted the country’s oil and power facilities. While most were intercepted, the defense ministry reported some limited damage.

The United Arab Emirates said debris from an intercepted projectile left three people injured and caused damage to a gas processing facility. Qatar and Bahrain also reported damage from intercepted Iranian missiles.

Iranian state media reported that some of the strikes were in response to an attack at an oil refinery on Iran's Lavan Island Wednesday morning.

The Israeli military, meanwhile, said it launched its largest attack on Hezbollah in Lebanon since the war began in late February. A series of heavy Israeli bombardments were reported in Beirut.

Pope praises Iran 'truce'

Natalie Neysa Alund

Pope Leo, on Wednesday, asked the world to join him in "this moment of delicate diplomacy with prayer, in hopes that a willingness to dialogue may become the means to resolve other conflict situations in the world as well."

The pope, in a post on X, also announced a vigil is set for 6 p.m. local time on April 11 at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.

"In the wake of these hours of great tension for the #MiddleEast and the entire world, I welcome with satisfaction −and as a sign of living hope − the announcement of an immediate two-week truce. Only by returning to negotiations can the war come to an end."

Hegseth says Iran will 'give up' its enriched uranium

Cybele Mayes-Osterman

Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said either Iran will give up its enriched uranium, or "we'll get it." He said another military strike like Operation Midnight Hammer, the bombing last June of Iran's nuclear facilities, was not off the table.

Iran's enriched uranium is "buried, and we're watching it," Hegseth said. We know exactly what they have, and they know that."

Iran will "either give it to us" or "if we have to do something else ourselves, like we did Midnight Hammer or something like that, we reserve that opportunity."

Does Iran control Strait of Hormuz? Hegseth says ‘strait is open’

Zac Anderson

Iran’s foreign minister said in a statement agreeing to a ceasefire with the U.S. that "safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be possible via coordination with Iran’s armed forces,” indicating Iran retains control of the strait, which wasn't the case before the war.

Asked what Iran’s statement means, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said “Iran is going to say a lot of things.”

“What has been agreed to, what’s been stated, is the strait is open,” Hegseth added. “Our military is watching, sure their military is watching, but commerce will flow.”       

Iran war fueled by 2 million energy drinks 'and a lot of nicotine'

Zac Anderson

Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine threw out a lot of statistics about the Iran war in a Wednesday news briefing following the announcement of a ceasefire, including the number of targets struck and missiles intercepted.

Underpinning the entire war effort was a lot of caffeine and nicotine, Caine said. He estimated that the troops consumed 950,000 gallons of coffee, two million energy drinks “and a lot of nicotine.”

“But I am not saying that we have a problem,” he joked.

Hegseth declares 'victory' after ceasefire deal

Christopher Cann

Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth declared the U.S. military campaign on Iran a “historic and overwhelming victory.”

Hegseth said the U.S. armed forces “achieved every military objective” set out at the start of the war, including the destruction of Iran’s navy, air force and weapons manufacturing infrastructure.

“President Trump forged this moment,” he said. “Iran begged for this ceasefire and we all know it.”

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council has also claimed victory following a ceasefire deal Tuesday evening, saying the U.S. and Israel were forced to accept Tehran’s 10-point plan.

Military has 'for now, done its part,' Hegseth says

Cybele Mayes-Osterman

Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said at a news briefing the morning after the United States and Iran agreed to a ceasefire that the military "for now, has done its part."

Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the military had "achieved the military objectives as defined by the president," including destroying Iran's ballistic missile and drone capabilities, its Navy and its defense industrial base. He did not mention Iran's nuclear capabilities, which the Pentagon said was "obliterated" after Operation Midnight Hammer in June.

"A ceasefire is a pause," Caine said, and the military "remains ready if ordered or called upon to resume combat operations with the same speed and precision."

Trump threatens tariffs on nations that supply Iran with weapons

Zac Anderson

Countries that supply Iran with military weapons will be hit with a 50% tariff, Trump said Wednesday, amid an emerging ceasefire in the war launched by the U.S. and Israel on Feb. 28.

"There will be no exclusions or exemptions!"Trump said on social media, a day after announcing the ceasefire.

The joint U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iran has degraded the country's military capabilities. The tariff threat is aimed at preventing Iran, which is allied with major military powers such as China and Russia, from rebuilding its military.

'A big day for World Peace!' Trump touts ceasefire

Zac Anderson

A day after backing off his threats to annihilate Iran’s entire civilization and agreeing to a ceasefire, Trump took to social media to tout the truce, declaring it “a big day for World Peace!”

Trump in an early morning social media post on Wednesday, said the ceasefire will allow Iran to begin the reconstruction process after the U.S. and Israel heavily bombed the country.

“There will be lots of positive action!” Trump said. “Big money will be made.”

In a second post later in the morning Trump said Iran won’t be allowed to enrich uranium and that the U.S. will work with Iran to “dig up and remove” the enriched uranium that remains in the country.

In launching the war, Trump said he wanted to stop Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, but the country retains a stockpile of highly-enriched uranium. The regime has not publicly indicated it will turn over the uranium or stop enriching.

Trump also said that U.S. negotiators will discuss “Tariff and Sanctions relief with Iran.” The U.S. has long imposed economic sanctions on Iran to pressure the regime.

Iranians rally in Tehran after ceasefire announcement

Vance says Iran ceasefire is a 'fragile truce'

Zac Anderson

Vice President JD Vance said elements of the Iranian regime are “lying” about the nature of the ceasefire the Trump administration agreed to and the truce is a “fragile” one.

“You have people who clearly want to come to the negotiating table and work with us to find a good deal, and then you have people who are lying about even the fragile truce that we’ve already struck,” Vance said while traveling overseas in Hungary on Wednesday.

Iran's Supreme National Security Council is claiming victory in the deal, saying Trump agreed to Tehran’s demands. Vance said the U.S. has achieved it’s military objectives and is ready to stop attacks if Iran opens the Strait of Hormuz and stops “trying to hold the world’s economy hostage.”

“That’s exactly the agreement we came to last night,” Vance said.

Yet there are questions about what the agreement means for the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the world’s oil passes. Iran’s foreign minister said ships will be allowed to pass through the strait through “coordination with Iran’s Armed Forces,” which indicates Iran would have control over the strait, which wasn’t the case before the war.

Why Pakistan and China brokered a fragile Iran ceasefire

Kim Hjelmgaard

A knot of defiant actors − three of them talked off a geopolitical cliff's edge at the 11th hour.

One peacemaker-nation trying to end a war on its border while fighting another. A second one, a major world power with no Middle East military footprint, that views economic leverage against the United States as a strategic priority.

April 7 began with President Donald Trump making a widely criticized threat to destroy Iran's "whole civilization" unless it agreed to stop a war that Israel and the United States started. It ended with Iran, Israel and the U.S. agreeing to a two-week pause in hostilities and the opening of the Strait of Hormuz shipping channel.

The story of how two countries− Pakistan and China − have emerged as unlikely but effective mediators is far from straightforward.

Read more.

Wall Street futures climb on relief from US-Iran ceasefire

Reuters

U.S. stock index futures climbed on Wednesday as investors breathed a sigh of relief after the U.S. and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire, sending crude prices lower on expectations that energy supplies through the Strait of Hormuz could resume.

The announcement came less than two hours before U.S. President Donald Trump's deadline, in a sharp turnaround from his previous warning of wiping out "a whole civilization" if Tehran did not reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway that typically handles about one-fifth of global oil trade.

Read more.

Why is the Strait of Hormuz so important?

Michael Loria

The United States and Israel say any lasting peace with Iran will be contingent on access to the Strait of Hormuz, the critical oil shipping lane Iran has managed to make the key issue of the war.

The military operation launched Feb. 28 in an effort, leaders said, to eliminate Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Iran responded to strikes by effectively blocking traffic through the strait, a 100-mile waterway through which some 20% of the world’s oil and natural gas supply passes.

Iran’s strategic closure of the channel has resulted in spiking gas prices and tumbling financial markets, leaving President Trump to deal with repeated questions about whether he would be able to reopen the channel before its closure has had a drastic impact on the economy.

Pending an end to strikes on Iran, the country’s foreign minister has promised its armed forces will allow oil tankers to move through the channel again.

Read more here.

What’s next in peace talks?

Michael Loria

Officials from Pakistan have played a key role in ceasefire talks and announced Tuesday evening that parties involved in negotiations will head to the country’s capital of Islamabad on Friday to work out a lasting peace.

"I warmly welcome the sagacious gesture and extend deepest gratitude to the leadership of both the countries and invite their delegations to Islamabad on Friday, 10th April 2026, to further negotiate for a conclusive agreement to settle all disputes," Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said in a statement announcing the ceasefire. "Both parties have displayed remarkable wisdom and understanding and have remained constructively engaged in furthering the cause of peace and stability. We earnestly hope, that the ‘Islamabad Talks’ succeed in achieving sustainable peace and wish to share more good news in coming days!"

Sharif did not elaborate on who will attend the peace talks. President Trump said U.S. officials had received from Iranian officials a 10-point plan for peace. Trump called the plan "workable."

Officials from the U.S. and Israel say a lasting end to fighting will depend on Iran reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has promised to allow shipping traffic to resume "if attacks on Iran are halted."

Does the ceasefire include Lebanon?

Michael Loria

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said on Wednesday that the ceasefire does not include Lebanon.

At least 1,500 people have been killed and about 1.2 million others have been displaced in Lebanon, where Israeli forces have mounted a massive invasion of the southern part of the country amid its fight against Iran’s ally Hezbollah. 

Israel's assertion that the ceasefire does not include Lebanon comes as Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced Tuesday evening Lebanon’s inclusion in the deal to cease hostilities.

"With the greatest humility, I am pleased to announce that the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America, along with their allies, have agreed to an immediate ceasefire everywhere including Lebanon and elsewhere, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY," Sharif said.

Contributing: Reuters