United States, Israel, and Iran Ceasefire Announcement

Press Release

Date: April 10, 2026

Contact: Sarah Stern

info@emetonline.org

United States, Israel, and Iran Ceasefire Announcement

Ceasefire Negotiation and Agreement

Six weeks after the onset of hostilities involving the United States, Israel, and the Iranian regime, a critical breakthrough was reached. Just ninety minutes before President Trump issued a dire warning of irreversible devastation, he succeeded in brokering a two-week ceasefire. The agreement was negotiated through Pakistan, with Prime Minister Netanyahu informed following its conclusion.

President Trump made it clear that Israeli military operations in Lebanon would remain outside the scope of the ceasefire. The agreement stipulates an immediate suspension of hostilities and offensive maneuvers among the parties involved. It also calls for the reopening of the Straits of Hormuz and a comprehensive cessation of the regional conflict, with negotiations set to continue in Islamabad to establish a broader framework for peace.

In his April 7^th address, President Trump underscored the theme of deterrence and the urgency of the moment, issuing a stark warning. He declared: “Let me be very clear: the United States has the strongest military anywhere on Earth. There is nobody even close. If we decide to act, we can do things that nobody has ever seen before. Iran understands that. They know exactly what I’m talking about. We do not want conflict. I do not want war. But if they force our hand, we will respond with overwhelming strength. It would not be a long fight. It would be something that could be handled very, very quickly.”

The United States and Israel have achieved notable progress, yet President Trump’s speech did not address the urgent threat posed by Iran’s advanced ballistic missile arsenal and nuclear capabilities. These missiles have the capacity to reach American allies in the Gulf, military forces stationed in the region, and Israel itself. Furthermore, the potential combination of Iran’s missile capabilities with the alleged 480 kilograms of Iranian nuclear material presents a grave challenge to international security and stability. This threat remains existential for Israel, the Gulf States, and the wider Western community. And glaringly missing was any mention of regime change or the 35,000 protesters that were brutally murdered, as President Trump, as President Trump, himself, has mentioned.

The primary emphasis of recent diplomatic efforts has centered on the situation in the Strait of Hormuz—a problem of undeniable significance. Unfortunately, Iran has refused to open the Strait unconditionally. The Islamic Republic has tied this to a full cessation of U.S. and Israeli attacks. Freedom of navigation in these international waters is not guaranteed. The Iranian regime is making the Straits into a regulated chokepoint under their control. They reportedly are charging up to $2 million per ship, and all ships have to be coordinated with the Islamic Republic. It allows easier access to Iraq, China and India, and restricts access to allies of the United States.

The Strait of Hormuz is an international Strait, which means that all ships are guaranteed transit passage under the United States Convention of the Law of the Sea. (UNCLOS). This right cannot be suspended, even during an international conflict.  Leveraging the Strait within territorial waters violates the UNCLOS by the state of Iran. Ships maintain the unconditional right to continuous, unleveraged and unconditional passage through the Straits.

In conclusion, we all understand why there is a need for a ceasefire. The people of the region, including Israel, the Gulf States and the US and Israeli armed forces are exhausted. Unfortunately, our original plans for regime change have not been achieved, and nothing in this speech mentions the existential threat of nuclear weapons combined with ballistic missiles, or the terror proxies.  This ceasefire has many holes within it and unfortunately seems to be open to various interpretations. Unless these basic disputes can be successfully resolved, this only opens up the region for further conflict.

Sarah N. Stern is Founder and President of EMET, a twenty-one-year old think tank and policy institute focusing on the Middle East.