'No agreement on ceasefire yet', says Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi as Trump makes big claim

Time of India

15 hours ago

— araghchi (@araghchi)
— araghchi (@araghchi)
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Iran said it has not agreed to any ceasefire with Israel, directly challenging U.S. President Donald Trump 's declaration of an 'Official END' to the war. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Tuesday that there was no ceasefire agreement with Israel as of now, but if it stopped its attacks then Tehran would also stop firing.'As of now, there is NO 'agreement' on any ceasefire or cessation of military operations,' Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on X at 4:16 a.m. Tehran time. 'However, provided that the Israeli regime stops its illegal aggression against the Iranian people no later than 4 am Tehran time, we have no intention to continue our response afterwards.'He added, 'The final decision on the cessation of our military operations will be made later.'These remarks were the first official response from Tehran to Trump's ceasefire announcement.Trump had announced on Truth Social that Iran and Israel had reached a phased ceasefire, set to begin at midnight Tuesday Eastern Time. He said the 24-hour plan would allow 'final missions' to wrap up before both sides lay down arms.But neither Iran nor Israel formally confirmed it. The Israeli Defence Forces declined to comment. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office did not issue a statement. Iran's U.N. mission also stayed silent.On Iranian state television, an anchor repeatedly referred to a 'Trump-claimed' ceasefire. 'Simultaneously with Trump's claim of a ceasefire, the Zionist enemy targeted several points in the cities of Tehran, Urmia and Rasht, including a residential area in the capital,' the anchor said.In parallel with the verbal back-and-forth, both countries issued new strike warnings. Israel cautioned that District 6 in Tehran might be targeted. Hours later, Iran, copying Israel's format, issued its own warning—this time aimed at Ramat Gan in central Israel, stating it would strike 'military infrastructure.'The tit-for-tat signals continued to escalate tensions.Monday saw Iran launch missiles at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. Tehran claimed the strike was a direct response to U.S. bombing raids on Iranian nuclear facilities. The Iranian government said the number of missiles fired matched the number of bombs used by the U.S. in its earlier attack.Iran also said it warned the U.S. in advance. Trump, confirming this, said there were no casualties and downplayed the event as a 'very weak response.'Qatar did not take it lightly. The government condemned the strike as 'a flagrant violation' of its sovereignty, saying 18 of 19 missiles were intercepted. Maj. Gen. Shayeq Al Hajri said the remaining missile did not cause visible damage. The U.S. base houses the Combined Air Operations Center and the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing.Iranian state TV described the attack as 'a mighty and successful response to America's aggression.' President Masoud Pezeshkian wrote on X shortly before the strike, 'We neither initiated the war nor seeking it. But we will not leave invasion to the great Iran without answer.'Meanwhile, confusion spread in Iraq. An alert suggested a missile was targeting the Ain al-Assad base, which hosts U.S. forces. A senior U.S. military official later clarified it was a false alarm triggered by debris from a malfunctioning Iranian missile aimed at Israel.This week, both Iran and Israel began hitting symbolic and government-linked targets, raising the risk to civilians.Israel struck buildings in Tehran associated with protest suppression, including the headquarters of the internal security force and the Evin prison—a site known for holding political prisoners and dual nationals. Iran's state broadcaster aired surveillance footage showing the damage. No casualties were reported. But human rights groups say many families fear for the safety of loved ones held in the prison.An Israeli official, speaking anonymously, said the intention was to pressure Iran—not to collapse the government. 'We are targeting regime targets and government repression bodies in the heart of Tehran,' the official said.Separately, the Israeli military said it had struck roads around Iran's Fordo enrichment site to limit access. That site had already been bombed by U.S. stealth bombers using bunker-busting munitions.In Vienna, the head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog said he expects heavy damage at Fordo. Iran, however, claimed it had removed sensitive material in advance, according to Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran spokesperson Behrouz Kamalvandi.Iran confirmed it launched missiles at Haifa and Tel Aviv. Explosions were also heard in Jerusalem, likely caused by Israel's air defences. Emergency responders reported no injuries.According to Iran's official tally, at least 24 people have been killed in Israel and over 1,000 injured. On the Iranian side, the toll is far heavier. Human Rights Activists, a group based in Washington, reported 974 deaths and 3,458 injuries. Among the dead were 387 civilians and 268 members of the security forces.In response to rising hostilities, the U.S. began evacuating citizens from Israel. Around 250 Americans and their families have already left on government and military flights. An estimated 700,000 American citizens—mostly dual nationals—reside in Israel.Russian President Vladimir Putin, after meeting Iran's foreign minister in Moscow, criticised the Western strikes. 'We discussed how we can get out of today's situation,' he said. Putin described the attacks on Iran as 'absolutely unprovoked aggression.'Even as some Israeli officials say they are open to winding down the war, they remain cautious. 'It depends on the Iranians,' said an official. Israel's ideal outcome, the source said, would be for Iran to agree to a ceasefire and return to nuclear talks with the U.S.But if that fails, Israel is preparing for a long, low-level conflict—one based on monitoring and swift retaliation.For now, the war grinds on. The internet remains cut in much of Iran. Explosions light up cities. Leaders post on social media while air raid sirens interrupt sleep.And while Trump says the war is over, the missiles tell a different story.