US and Iran agree to two-week ceasefire brokered by Pakistan

April 8, 2026 3:07 PM

US and Iran agree to two-week ceasefire brokered by Pakistan

The United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire brokered by Pakistan, potentially suspending a six-week-old war that has killed thousands, spread across the Middle East and caused unprecedented disruption to the world's energy supplies. Trump announced the agreement late on Tuesday, just two hours before a deadline he had set for Iran to open the blockaded Strait of Hormuz or face the destruction of its "whole civilisation". Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said he had invited...

Australia welcomes US-Iran ceasefire, calls on parties to uphold humanitarian law, protect civilian life

April 8, 2026 8:58 AM

Australia welcomes US-Iran ceasefire, calls on parties to uphold humanitarian law, protect civilian life

Australia on Wednesday welcomed the ceasefire announcement involving the United States, Iran and Israel, expressing hope that the agreement will be upheld and lead to a broader resolution of the ongoing conflict in West Asia.  US President Donald Trump has stepped back from the brink of a major military escalation with Iran, announcing a conditional two-week pause in planned attacks tied to reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a development that came as a big relief to people across the world. The...

Trump’s Iran ceasefire announcement draws mixed US response

April 8, 2026 9:54 AM

Trump’s Iran ceasefire announcement draws mixed US response

A two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran announced by President Donald Trump has triggered sharply divided reactions across the US political spectrum, with some lawmakers backing diplomacy and others warning of dangerous escalation and lack of oversight.  According to the announcement, Washington and Tehran have agreed to pause hostilities, work out a 10-point proposal, and allow for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz -- a critical global energy corridor. Republican Congress...