Iran has confirmed a two-week ceasefire announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, the Tasnim news agency, which is close to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), reported early on Wednesday.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz would be possible for two weeks in coordination with Iran’s armed forces “and with due consideration of technical limitations.”
Trump had made reopening the waterway a condition for the ceasefire and had threatened to target Iran’s energy sector and infrastructure, including bridges, if Tehran failed to comply, setting a deadline of 0000 GMT.
The Strait of Hormuz, crucial to global oil and gas trade, has been largely closed since the United States and Israel launched large-scale attacks on Iran on Feb. 28.
According to a senior U.S. official, Israel will also adhere to what Trump described as a “double sided CEASEFIRE.”
Pakistan, which has mediated between Tehran and Washington, said that an immediate ceasefire between Iran and the US had taken effect.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif wrote on X that the Islamic Republic of Iran and the U.S., along with their allies, had agreed to an “immediate ceasefire everywhere,” including in Lebanon.
“I warmly welcome the sagacious gesture and extend deepest gratitude to the leadership of both the countries and invite their delegations to Islamabad on Friday … to further negotiate for a conclusive agreement to settle all disputes,” Sharif said.
Trump earlier said Sharif had asked him to refrain from carrying out the threatened attacks.
The U.S. has received a 10-point proposal from Iran and believed it offered a “workable basis” for negotiations, Trump wrote on his platform Truth Social.
According to The New York Times, the plan calls for lifting all sanctions imposed on Iran.
—–German Shipping Group Urges Caution On Hormuz Transit——
Meanwhile, Germany’s shipping industry on Wednesday welcomed the newly announced ceasefire between the U. S. and Iran as a positive step.
Although, it said the industry leaders warned that significant risks remained for vessels operating in the Gulf region.
The German Shipowners’ Association (VDR) described the two-week truce as an important signal for thousands of sailors stranded at the sea.
It stressed that lack of concrete security guarantees continues to pose a major concern.
According to the association, more than 2,200 commercial vessels and around 20,000 seafarers were unable to leave the Gulf since hostilities erupted on Feb. 28, after Iran threatened attacks on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
At least 50 of those vessels are operated by German companies.
Under the ceasefire agreement, Iran has agreed to reopen the vital maritime corridor, a key route for global oil and gas shipments.
The move has been welcomed by the International Maritime Organisation, whose Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said the development was encouraging for both seafarers and the wider shipping industry.
Dominguez added that efforts are already under way to establish mechanisms to ensure safe passage through the waterway, with immediate priority given to safeguarding navigation and facilitating the movement of stranded vessels.
In spite of these reassurances, German shipping companies remain wary.
The VDR said operators are continuously reassessing conditions but are unlikely to resume transit without clear and reliable security arrangements, global industry bodies share similar concerns.
The Baltic and International Maritime Council has advised companies to avoid passing through the strait without prior coordination with both Iran and the U.S as Major shipping firms are also proceeding cautiously.
Hapag-Lloyd reported that six of its vessels remain stuck in the region and said it is not yet recommending transit due to ongoing risk assessments.
The company added that ships would leave the area as soon as conditions are deemed safe.
Similarly, Danish shipping giant Maersk confirmed that 10 of its vessels are currently in the Gulf and that it is reviewing next steps following the ceasefire.
However, the company emphasised that the agreement does not yet provide sufficient security assurances for normal operations.
The situation highlights the continued fragility of maritime security in the region.
Also, the industry stakeholders signalling that a return to regular shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz will depend on more than a temporary pause in hostilities.
