The United States, Iran and Israel agreed to halt fighting for two weeks, helping the U.S. President Donald Trump avoided carrying out his earlier threat of a major bombing attack on Iran.
However, shortly after the announcement, the situation remained alarming. The United Arab Emirates said its air defense systems were shooting down incoming missiles from Iran, while Kuwait’s military reported it was dealing with a large number of drone attacks.
Iran, as reported by the Reuters, said the deal might let it officially start charging money from ships that pass through the Strait of Hormuz. But it was not clear how this would work, and it was also uncertain whether ships would feel safe using this very important route for transporting oil.
“Death to America” “Death to Israel”
Tensions in Tehran also flared high, where people who supported the government came out on the streets cheating slogans like “Death to America” and “Death to Israel” following the announcement of ceasefire, burning american flags and israeli flags.
“ Workable” 10 pointers
Donald Trump, initially, suggested a “workable” 10 pointers to end the war that began on February 28. However, later, he said that stopping Iran’s nuclear program is one of the main goals of the war.
Pakistan also said that talks to make a long-term peace plan stronger would begin in Islamabad as early as Friday. It also said the ceasefire would start immediately, but soon after, Iran launched attacks on Gulf Arab countries and Israel.
Meanwhile, after the last-minute agreement to reopen the Strait, oil prices went down and stock markets in Asia went up.
Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, said that ships would still be allowed to pass through the strait, but Iran’s military would control how that happens. However, it’s not clear if Iran will fully remove its restrictions on the waterway.
According to a regional official, the plan would allow both Iran and Oman to charge fees from ships passing through the strait. The money collected by Iran would be used for rebuilding the country.
But this idea could change how the strait has worked for many years, as it has always been an international route where ships could pass freely. Gulf Arab countries may not agree with this plan, especially since they also need to rebuild after repeated Iranian attacks on their oil facilities.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump said that a lot of money could be made this way and that Iran could use it for reconstruction.
An oil refinery on Iran’s Lavan Island was attacked on Wednesday, just hours after a two-week ceasefire between Iran and the United States began. Iranian officials called it an “enemy attack.”
The National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company said the strike happened around 10:00 in the morning. Thankfully, no one was injured.
Firefighters and safety teams quickly reached the site to control the fire and make sure the area was safe.
