Fragile Israel-Iran ceasefire raises hopes for lasting peace despite Tehran’s nuclear resolve
U.S. brokered truce holds after 12 days of strikes, as Iran fast-tracks a halt to IAEA cooperation while leaders eye longer-term agreements
Dubai: A fragile ceasefire between Israel and Iran appeared to be holding Wednesday, raising hopes it could lead to a longer-term peace agreement, even as Tehran insisted it would not give up its nuclear program.
The truce, brokered with U.S. help, took effect Tuesday on the 12th day of the war. Both sides initially accused each other of violations before the missiles, drones and bombs finally stopped. Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters at a NATO summit in the Netherlands that the ceasefire was going “very well,” adding, “They’re not going to have a bomb and they’re not going to enrich.”
Iran has insisted it will maintain its nuclear program. On Tuesday, its parliament fast-tracked a proposal to suspend cooperation with the U.N.’s International Atomic Energy Agency, accusing it of failing “to even pretend to condemn” U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. “The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran will suspend cooperation with the IAEA until security of nuclear facilities is ensured, and Iran’s peaceful nuclear program will move forward at a faster pace,” parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf told lawmakers.
American strikes hit three Iranian nuclear sites, which Trump said had “completely and fully obliterated” the country’s program. His special Mideast envoy, Steve Witkoff, told Fox News that Israel and the U.S. had achieved “the total destruction of the enrichment capacity” in Iran, and that Iran’s prerequisite for talks, an end to Israel’s campaign had been met.
When asked at the NATO summit about a U.S. intelligence report finding Iran’s program only set back a few months, Trump scoffed, saying it would take “years” to rebuild. Israeli military spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin agreed, saying Iran’s facilities were “significantly damaged” and its program “set back by years.”
An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, described the ceasefire as “quiet for quiet,” with no further nuclear concessions. Meanwhile, Witkoff said the Trump administration was pursuing “a comprehensive peace agreement that goes beyond even the ceasefire,” with direct and intermediary talks already under way and “promising” prospects.
China, a permanent U.N. Security Council member and major Iranian oil customer, called for a “lasting and effective ceasefire” to promote peace and stability in the Middle East. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told Beijing reporters that China is willing to “inject positive factors to safeguard peace and stability in the Middle East.”
During the conflict, Iran executed six prisoners on espionage charges, including three hanged Wednesday in Urmia Prison. State-run IRNA identified them as Azad Shojaei, Edris Aali and Iraqi national Rasoul Ahmad Rasoul, accused of bringing “assassination equipment” into the country.
Casualty figures remain disputed. Israeli officials say at least 28 were killed and more than 1,000 wounded in Israel. Iran’s government put its toll at 606 dead and 5,332 wounded. The Washington-based Human Rights Activists group reported at least 1,054 killed and 4,476 wounded in Iran, including 417 civilians and 318 security personnel.
Tehran endured intense Israeli airstrikes, some targeting its top military leadership and other theocratic sites. With the ceasefire in place, Iranians began returning to normal life, state media reported heavy traffic around the Caspian Sea and rural areas outside Tehran as people made their way back to the capital.
