Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Tuesday that Tehran does not intend to continue its missile strikes against Israel — provided the Israeli government ceases its attacks — following U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement of a phased ceasefire agreement aimed at ending 12 days of intense conflict.
Speaking on social media, Araghchi said Iran’s military operations concluded at 4 a.m. Tehran time (0030 GMT) and clarified that while there was no formal ceasefire deal yet, Iran would not continue its response if Israel halted its “illegal aggression” against Iranian targets by that time.
His remarks came just hours after President Trump revealed a 24-hour de-escalation timeline. According to Trump, Iran would stop military activity unilaterally at 0400 GMT, with Israel expected to reciprocate 12 hours later. After 24 hours, the two sides would formally declare the war over.
“It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. “Upon the 24th hour, an official end to the 12-day war will be saluted by the world.”
While Iran indicated a pause in operations, Israeli officials had not publicly confirmed the ceasefire terms at the time of Trump’s statement. Explosions continued overnight in Tehran, with reports of powerful blasts in the north and centre of the capital.
The conflict began on June 13 when Israel launched surprise strikes on Iranian military and nuclear sites, prompting retaliatory missile barrages from Tehran. The United States later joined the Israeli campaign, attacking three Iranian nuclear facilities over the weekend.
Just hours before Trump’s ceasefire declaration, Iran launched missiles at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest U.S. military installation in the Middle East. While the strike raised concerns of escalation, both U.S. and Iranian officials indicated it was a calculated move. Iran’s National Security Council said the number of missiles fired matched the U.S. bombs used in earlier attacks, suggesting an intention to avoid further provocation.
Ali Vaez of the International Crisis Group described the attack as “calibrated and telegraphed” to avoid casualties and allow both sides an “off-ramp.”
Qatar condemned the Iranian strike as “blatant aggression,” though Iran insisted it was aimed solely at the U.S. presence, not the Qatari state.
The war has left more than 400 dead in Iran, according to its health ministry, while Israel has reported 24 fatalities. Amid rising global alarm, French President Emmanuel Macron called for an end to the “spiral of chaos,” and China warned of broader economic consequences.
If upheld, the ceasefire may offer the region a much-needed reprieve from a crisis that had threatened to spark wider confrontation.
