This ceasefire comes at a critical moment in the war unleashed at the end of February, which has already spread throughout the region and brought the world to the brink of an unprecedented war.
Trump's threat to "unleash hell" if Iran kept the Strait of Hormuz closed — a crucial passage for 20% of the world's oil — triggered a massive civilian mobilization in the Persian country. Hundreds of people, including families and students, formed human chains to protect energy facilities, while more than fourteen million citizens enrolled in an official "self-sacrifice" campaign to defend the homeland.
Despite the announcement sparking celebrations in Tehran and Baghdad, the Iranian Supreme National Security Council has warned that they still have "their finger on the trigger" and that the distrust towards the United States is total. Negotiations will begin this Friday in Islamabad under an Iranian ten-point proposal that includes historical demands: the acceptance of a national nuclear enrichment program, the lifting of all sanctions, and the US military withdrawal from the Middle East. Additionally, Iran intends to impose a two million dollar toll on each ship passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
The stability of the ceasefire is fragile. While Iran demands an end to the Israeli offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon, Israel has already warned that it will not stop its attacks. Meanwhile, the Lebanese militia has spread defiant messages coinciding with the forty days since the assassination of the Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei. Tensions remain high after reports of new Iranian attacks intercepted in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates in recent hours.