Irans conflict enters temporary stalemate with all parties claiming victory

Tehran Enters Two-Week Ceasefire Amid Ongoing Conflict with US and Israel

A ceasefire has been announced between Iran and the United States, mediated by Pakistan, bringing a temporary reprieve to Tehran’s residents. The agreement, which will last for two weeks, marks a significant development in the ongoing conflict between the two nations.

As of Wednesday morning, some traffic has returned to the streets of Tehran, with people taking advantage of the relative calm to venture out during daylight hours. However, air defense systems were activated several times overnight, although no impacts or official explanations have been reported.

Residents across the city are debating the prospects of the ceasefire and its potential duration. Some believe that the agreement will hold, citing Israeli announcements about resuming flights from Ben Gurion Airport. Others, however, remain skeptical, particularly after two critical islands off southern Iran were attacked on Wednesday morning, targeting oil facilities.

Iranian authorities have confirmed that they shot down a drone in the southern province of Fars and reported retaliatory attacks by missiles and drones from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain. Tehran has stated its readiness to restart military operations if attacked again.

The ceasefire was announced shortly before midnight GMT, following a threat by US President Donald Trump to end “civilization” in Iran unless an agreement was reached. The Israeli military intensified its attacks in the hours leading up to the ceasefire, targeting critical infrastructure such as power plants and bridges.

Negotiations aimed at reaching a long-lasting agreement are expected to begin in Islamabad on Friday. The US military has struck 13,000 targets across Iran since the beginning of the conflict.

Source: Al Jazeera