Can Tehran regard Trump as a trusted broker of peace when he floated the idea of regime change in Iran?
These days, peace is a post on social media. On Donald Trump's Truth Social site, it came in two parts.
Part one read: "CONGRATULATIONS WORLD, IT'S TIME FOR PEACE."
The Magna Carta it wasn't, but it was a peace treaty for our times - a US president announcing there would be no retaliation against Iran's missile attack.
An anxious world watching for US bombers returning to Iranian skies could cool its jets - and the primetime president could feel vindicated, having enjoyed strategic success.
Trump has tweaked the politics and military landscape around Iran to suit US interests, without a single American life lost.
He had framed US intervention in Iran as an effort to prevent a "forever" foreign war, not to provoke it, and he is sitting pretty, following ugly predictions he'd be sucked into conflict.
Then, on Truth Social, there was peace "part two".
A couple of hours after announcing non-retaliation, Trump wrote the sequel: "Ceasefire."
He posted: "CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE!" - saying a "complete and total" ceasefire had been fully agreed between Israel and Iran.
Quite the day of problem-solving for the self-styled "peacemaker-in-chief". Quite the day of problems unsolved too - time will tell.
As deadlines loomed, neither Israel nor Iran appeared fully committed to the Trump script, and fresh missiles were fired overnight.
Daytime will test the durability of a ceasefire. There are motivations on both sides to continue a conflict in which both see the other as an existential threat.
Can Tehran regard Donald Trump as a trusted broker of peace when he floated the idea of regime change in Iran, as pursued by Israel?
Can Israel be convinced to pull back on its military advantage when its instinct will be to reinforce superiority and undermine an Iranian rebuild?
Trump's influence will be tested, as ever, when he flies to a NATO summit in The Netherlands today. For him, it can be a difficult crowd and one for whom he remains a mystery.
A positive result in the Middle East will help to confound their curiosity, for the better.
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South Wales Argus
9 minutes ago
- South Wales Argus
Middle East ceasefire on the brink as Israel orders retaliation for Iran strike
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The Sun
10 minutes ago
- The Sun
Trump's ceasefire ALREADY on the brink as wave of Iranian missiles is launched at Israel who vow revenge blitz on Tehran
THE Middle East ceasefire is already on the brink after a new wave of ballistic missiles were launched at Israel. It comes just four hours into a pause in fighting between Tel Aviv and Tehran following 12 days of missile salvos and World War 3 brinkmanship. 4 4 4 Two ballistic missiles were launched at Israel at around 9am UK time - but Iran has denied that it was them. The IDF is now out for revenge and is set to launch 'intense strikes against regime targets in the heart of Tehran', Israel's defence minister Israel Katz has said. Israeli politicians have so far viewed the salvo as a clear breach of the ceasefire, but Benjamin Netanyahu has not yet spoken. Trump earlier announced the ceasefire on social media early on Tuesday morning saying: "THE CEASEFIRE IS NOW IN EFFECT. PLEASE DO NOT VIOLATE IT!" The agreement came after the Ayatollah fired a last second salvo of missiles just before the deadline at 5am UK time. Tragically five civilians were killed in the heartless strike on apartment buildings in the city of Beersheba. Netanyahu earlier hailed Operation Rising Lion as a success having gutted the Ayatollah's ballistic missile and nuclear program. He said in a statement: 'The IDF achieved full air control over Tehran's skies, inflicted severe damage on the military leadership, and destroyed dozens of central Iranian government targets." The first part of the deal kicked into effect at 5am UK time and involved Iran first stopping its missile attacks. Israel then had an extra 12 hours to continue attacking Iran, with its strikes having to stop at 5pm UK time and the full ceasefire taking effect. But that deal now appears to have fallen apart just four hours after going into effect. Trump made the announcement just hours after Iran dramatically attacked a US military base in Qatar. He wrote on Truth Social: It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be a "Complete and Total CEASEFIRE." Don dubbed the conflict "THE 12 DAY WAR" and said it could have "gone on for years, and destroyed the entire Middle East, but it didn't, and never will!" The ceasefire came after Trump dismissed the Iranian missile strike targeting the Al Udaid US air base on Monday night as "very weak". All the Iranian missiles were shot down, and no casualties were reported. Trump said Iran gave the US advanced warning of attacks in a move clearly designed to lower tensions by Iran. He said: "I want to thank Iran for giving us early notice, which made it possible for no lives to be lost, and nobody to be injured." New reporting reveals that Netanyahu had decided on war against Iran back in March. The Israelis had drawn up lists of Iranians to assassinate since Autumn with Netanyahu issuing an order in October to prepare for a strike. They planned to attack with or without US backing – but also tried to woo Donald Trump to their campaign, the Washington Post reports. a minute ago By James Halpin Iran repeats denial at firing missiles Iran's General Staff of the Armed Forces Abdolrahim Mousavi has denied firing any missiles at Israel after the ceasefire ended, according to Iranian state media. It comes after an earlier denial and Israel saying it would strike the "heart of Tehran". 11 minutes ago By James Halpin Tehran holds its breath for strikes Israel has now pledged to bomb the "heart of Tehran" as the ceasefire falls apart. A general view if the city of Tehran on Tuesday A soldier of Iran's Revolutionary Guard stands in downtown Tehran By James Halpin Iran's full statement on ceasefire Iran's National Security Council has now issued a statement on the ceasefire despite it falling apart. They said: "Awareness, solidarity, resistance, and unique unity of the people shattered the enemy's main strategy and provided an opportunity for the steadfastness and amazing strength of warriors of Islam. "In response to the Zionist aggression, the brave and valiant sons in the Iranian Armed Forces, implemented the orders of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, launching a devastating response to the aggressors. "Iran's Armed Forces managed to announce the opening of a new chapter in the deterrent equation against the American occupiers in the region, by targeting their military bases deep within the occupied territories. "Iran's Armed Forces remain at the highest level of readiness, with their fingers on the trigger, ready to deliver a decisive and deterrent response to any hostile action by the enemy." Today, 08:33 By James Halpin IDF hit missile launchers before ceasefire The IDF said it bombed missile launchers in western Iran that were preparing to bomb Israel - just hours before the ceasefire was announced. Today, 08:24 By James Halpin Death toll rises to 5 in Beersheba Israeli officials have announced another tragic death after Iran bombed Israel just after the ceasefire began. That takes the total to five now having been killed in the horror strike. Today, 08:19 By James Halpin Israel decided on war in March After the successful war against Hezbollah, Benjamin Netanyahu had decided on war against Iran back in March. The Israelis had drawn up lists of Iranians to assassinate since Autumn with Netanyahu issuing an order in October to prepare for a strike. They planned to attack with or without US backing - but also tried to woo Donald Trump to their campaign, the Washington Post reports. Today, 08:12 By James Halpin UK welcomes ceasefire Speaking on BBC Breakfast after news of Israel's agreement to the deal broke, Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden said it was "good news, if the ceasefire holds". He said: "I welcome the Israeli statement. It's obviously a fragile situation in the Middle East. "A number of people have been killed overnight in missile strikes, but I think the whole world will hope that the ceasefire will hold and that Iran will come forward with a credible plan that shows that it will not pursue the development of a nuclear weapon." Today, 08:01 By James Halpin Germany welcomes ceasefire International reaction is now coming in with German chancellor Friedrich Merz welcoming the ceasefire between Israel and Iran. In a post on X, he said: "I welcome the American President's call for a sequenced ceasefire. If this ceasefire succeeds following the decisive U.S. military strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities, it is a very positive development. "It will make the Middle East and the world safer. I appeal to both Iran and Israel to heed this call. I thank Qatar and the other states in the region for their composure in these dramatic days and hours."
STV News
17 minutes ago
- STV News
Israel says Iran has 'violated' ceasefire hours after it came into effect
Israel has accused Iran of breaking a ceasefire deal hours after it came into effect. Iran has denied firing missiles after the agreed deadline. US President Donald Trump announced the ceasefire overnight, with Israel and Iran both confirming it on Tuesday. Strikes from both countries took place in the interim, with at least four being killed in southern Israel and several reported dead in northern Iran. Israel says it will 'respond forcefully' to Iran's 'violation' of the ceasefire deal. Israel has accused Iran of 'completely violating' a ceasefire agreement between the two countries by launching missiles after the deal came into effect. Just over two hours after the pause in fighting came into force, Israel said it had identified missiles launched from Iran into its airspace, with explosions booming and sirens sounding across the north of the country. Though Israel said it had intercepted the midmorning barrage of missiles, it highlights how fragile the situation remained. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said he instructed the Israeli military to 'respond forcefully' by targeting Iranian paramilitary and government targets. Iran has denied firing a missile at Israel after the ceasefire began, according to its state media. The IDF's Chief of the General Staff, Eyal Zamir, responded to the reported post-ceasefire Iranian missile strikes, saying it would 'respond with force'. US President Donald Trump had earlier urged both countries not to 'violate' the agreement. The Israeli government accepted Trump's proposal on Tuesday morning, but in a statement, said it would 'respond forcefully to any violation of the ceasefire.' Benjamin Netanyahu's office said it had achieved its goal of removing Iran's nuclear and ballistic threats and thanked Trump and the US for their support. An Iranian missile has struck southern Israel killing several people. / Credit: AP Iranian State media had also acknowledged a ceasefire had been put in place. Just before 4am local time (2am BST) Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said that Iran would stop attacks if Israel stopped its own strikes by 4am. The shaky agreement was announced early Tuesday morning after Tehran launched a retaliatory limited missile attack on a US military base in Qatar on Monday. It followed an American attack on three of Iran's nuclear sites over the weekend. Reports suggest Israeli missiles continued right up until the deadline on Tuesday before ceasing. The Israeli Defence Forces says Iranian strikes continued beyond this deadline, and at least four people have been reported killed in the south of the country. Iranian media also reported an Israeli attack in northern Iran, which killed at least nine. Subscribe free to our weekly newsletter for exclusive and original coverage from ITV News. Direct to your inbox every Friday morning. World leaders are now heading to a Nato summit in the Netherlands as uncertainty over the fragile ceasefire lingers. At the two-day summit, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer will continue to press for a diplomatic solution to the crisis. Senior Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden said reports of a ceasefire between Israel and Iran are 'welcome'. He added: 'I don't know if it's the product of any single decision, but it's welcome and let's hope that it holds. It's a fragile situation.' The UK has begun evacuating Britons from Israel, with the first group of 63 people flown back via Cyprus. The Foreign Office has said around 1,000 people had requested a seat on an evacuation flight – a quarter of the 4,000 who had registered their presence in the region. The government has withdrawn staff from its embassy in Iran, and it is operating 'remotely', Foreign Secretary David Lammy told MPs on Monday. Israel and Iran have been bombing each other for almost two weeks, with dozens of people reported dead and injured in cities like Tehran and Tel Aviv. Donald Trump confirmed the US had made strikes on Iran's nuclear sites. / Credit: AP On Sunday, Trump confirmed that the US had 'completely and totally obliterated' three key Iranian nuclear sites, in what he called a 'spectacular military success.' In response, Iran launched a missile attack on a US military base near Doha, Qatar, on Monday. Tehran sent a barrage of short-range and medium-range ballistic missiles towards Al Udeid Air Base earlier on Monday evening, retaliating for the American bombing of its nuclear sites. Footage reported across social media appears to show missiles in the skies above the Qatari capital, followed by explosions. Qatar's Defence Ministry said its air defences 'successfully' thwarted the attack, and no casualties have been reported. Trump called the Iranian response 'weak' and said it had been 'very effectively countered.' In a post on Truth Social, he said: 'There have been 14 missiles fired – 13 were knocked down, and 1 was 'set free,' because it was headed in a nonthreatening direction. I am pleased to report that NO Americans were harmed, and hardly any damage was done. 'Most importantly, they've gotten it all out of their 'system,' and there will, hopefully, be no further HATE.' Trump also claimed Iran gave the US prior notice of the strike to avoid lives being lost. Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
