Daijiworld Media Network - Tehran
Tehran, June 25: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi signaled a potential halt to hostilities with Israel early Tuesday, commending Iran’s armed forces for continuing military operations “until the very last minute” and hinting that Tehran may suspend its response if Israeli attacks cease.
Araghchi, in a statement shared shortly after 4 am local time, expressed gratitude to Iranian forces for defending the nation “until their last drop of blood” and carrying out operations against Israel up to the final moment of a declared deadline.
“The military operations of our powerful Armed Forces to punish Israel for its aggression continued until the very last minute, at 4 am,” he wrote. “Together with all Iranians, I thank our brave Armed Forces who remain ready to defend our dear country at any cost.”
The remarks came just minutes after a separate post in which Araghchi maintained that no formal ceasefire agreement had been reached. He reiterated that Iran would halt its attacks only if Israel ceased its operations by the 4 am deadline. “There is NO agreement on any ceasefire or cessation of military operations as of now,” he wrote earlier. “However, should the Israeli regime end its illegal aggression against the Iranian people by 4 am Tehran time, we have no intention to continue our response.”
He added that a final decision on ending military operations would be made later.
Ceasefire timeline outlined by Trump
U.S. President Donald Trump, who has played a central role in mediating between the two adversaries, announced on Truth Social that a phased 24-hour ceasefire had been agreed upon. According to Trump, the truce would begin with Iran halting hostilities, followed by Israel 12 hours later.
“It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE,” Trump wrote, adding that both nations would “remain PEACEFUL and RESPECTFUL.”
He emphasized that the agreement marks the “Official END” to the 12-day conflict. “This is a war that could have gone on for years and destroyed the entire Middle East—but it didn’t, and never will!” he stated.
The phased ceasefire was expected to begin Tuesday morning in both countries and be completed within 24 hours.
Conflict escalation and retaliation
The escalation began when Iran launched a barrage of missiles and drones toward Israeli territory, retaliating against Israeli airstrikes on key Iranian government and military infrastructure, including targets in the heart of Tehran.
While Israel described its operations as focused on “regime targets and government repression bodies,” officials in Jerusalem clarified they did not seek regime change, despite rising tensions and rhetoric from both sides.
The situation intensified after the United States joined Israel’s military effort, deploying stealth bombers to strike three underground Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend. Trump’s comments earlier about Iran’s clerical leadership fueled speculation about potential efforts to destabilize the Iranian regime.
Despite the volatility, the tentative ceasefire offers a window of hope for de-escalation in a region long plagued by conflict. Diplomats and international observers are now closely monitoring developments to assess whether both sides will honor the truce and move toward long-term stability.