Trump says Iranian leadership requests ceasefire after weeks of escalating conflict

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said that the leadership in Iran has reached out to Washington to request a ceasefire after weeks of escalating conflict.

Trump, taking to his social media account on Truth Social, described the Iranian leadership as “much less radicalised and far more intelligent than his predecessors,” a suggestion that the dynamics in Tehran may be shifting.

However, Trump made it clear that the United States will not agree to halt military operations immediately. He said the US would only consider a ceasefire once the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global shipping route, is “open, free, and clear.”

This waterway is strategically crucial because a significant portion of the world’s oil passes through it.

Until those conditions are met, Trump warned that military pressure would continue, using forceful language about keeping up pressure on Iran’s capabilities.

The Iranian government, for its part, has not confirmed the ceasefire request, and officials have given no immediate response to the US statement.

The situation remains volatile, with diplomatic uncertainty on one side and ongoing conflict disrupting regional stability and global energy markets on the other.

Why is Trump ‘considering’ withdrawal from NATO

Earlier, several major NATO allies declined US military involvement. France offered only limited cooperation while refusing offensive operations. Italy took a similar stance, denying landing rights and access to bases. Germany was more direct, saying, “This is not our war.” Spain strongly opposed the move and blocked the US use of its airspace. The United Kingdom initially refused offensive support, later limiting its role to defensive cooperation.

Trump says NATO failed to support US operations in Iran and called it a “paper tiger.”  He has also said that allies “weren’t there” when the US needed them. Now the “USA won’t be there to help you anymore, just like you weren’t there for us.”

The US president said the war on Iran started after the killing of the Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khomeini on February 28 could end within “two to three weeks.” However, at the same time, the US administration is also “seriously considering withdrawing the United States from NATO,” he said.