Last-Minute US–Iran Truce

In the tense hours leading up to the announcement of a two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran, the international system edged perilously close to a far broader and potentially catastrophic conflict. Nearly six weeks of escalating confrontations across the Middle East had already destabilised regional security, but on Tuesday the crisis appeared, at several points, to be slipping beyond diplomatic control.

At the epicentre of the escalation was US President Donald Trump, whose public messaging intensified markedly as the deadline approached for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz—a vital artery for global energy supplies. Posting on his Truth Social platform, he issued a series of increasingly severe warnings, ranging from threats of strikes on Iran’s critical infrastructure to language that prompted concern among legal analysts and human rights observers. At one point, he suggested that failure to comply could result in the destruction of essential facilities and what he described as the “end of a civilisation”.

The military dimension of the crisis escalated in parallel. Reports emerged of strikes and counter-strikes across multiple locations, with Gulf states moving to heightened alert status. Qatar and the United Arab Emirates activated defensive systems in response to missile and drone activity, while maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz deteriorated to its most precarious point in years, raising alarm among energy markets and naval observers alike.

Despite the volatility, intensive diplomatic engagement continued behind the scenes. Pakistan played a central mediating role, facilitating urgent communication between Washington and Tehran at a moment when direct channels had effectively collapsed. As the deadline approached, negotiations accelerated rapidly. Less than ninety minutes before the expiry of the ultimatum, an agreement was reached on a temporary ceasefire, with Israel also consenting to suspend operations, though it clarified that its broader security posture in the region remained unchanged.

By late Tuesday night, both sides had agreed to halt hostilities and ensure the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, alongside a commitment to further negotiations in Islamabad aimed at developing a more durable settlement framework. On Wednesday, President Trump described the agreement as a potential turning point, suggesting it could herald a “golden age” for the Middle East—marking a striking rhetorical shift from his earlier warnings.

Throughout the day, diplomatic restraint and military escalation unfolded in parallel. Iran alternated between signals of openness to negotiation and assertions of deterrent capability. Meanwhile, the United Nations Security Council became a focal point of geopolitical division after China and Russia blocked a resolution intended to secure commercial shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, arguing that it failed to address underlying regional tensions.

Pakistan’s role as an intermediary proved pivotal, providing a rare functional bridge between adversaries whose direct communications had broken down. Its intervention is widely seen as instrumental in securing the last-minute understanding that prevented immediate large-scale escalation.

Although the ceasefire remains temporary and fragile, the events of Tuesday underscored how rapidly the region approached the threshold of open conflict—and how narrowly that threshold was ultimately avoided.

Key Developments in the Final Hours Before the Ceasefire