Iran has firmly rejected claims that a ceasefire agreement has been reached between Tehran and Israel, declaring that the Islamic Republic will not consider halting its retaliatory military operations unless Israel immediately ceases what it describes as ongoing “illegal aggression.”
This statement was made by Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, who took to his verified X (formerly Twitter) account on Tuesday to issue a direct rebuttal to earlier remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump. President Trump had earlier announced that both Iran and Israel had agreed to a ceasefire to end the violent 12-day conflict, but Araghchi clarified that no such deal was in place.
“As Iran has repeatedly made clear, Israel started this war, not Iran,” Araghchi emphasized in his post. “At this moment, there is NO agreement on any ceasefire or halt to military operations.”
The Iranian diplomat added a conditional offer, noting, “However, if the Israeli regime ends its illegal aggression against the Iranian people by 4 a.m. Tehran time, we will have no reason to continue our response. A final decision regarding the cessation of our military actions will be made subsequently.”
As of the time of the announcement, Israel has not issued any formal public response to either the U.S. President’s ceasefire announcement or to Iran’s demands and conditions for halting hostilities.
According to Iranian officials, since the outbreak of violence began on June 13, Israeli strikes have led to the deaths of over 400 people in Iran, including at least 13 children. Additionally, more than 3,000 people have reportedly been injured due to the airstrikes and military operations.
Meanwhile, in retaliation, Iran’s military responses have reportedly resulted in the deaths of at least 24 individuals within Israeli territory, as per international media reports. The back-and-forth attacks have intensified global concerns about the potential for a broader regional conflict in the Middle East.
Despite U.S. diplomatic efforts to broker peace, the situation remains tense, with both nations holding firm on their respective narratives and military strategies. The international community continues to monitor developments closely in hopes of a peaceful resolution.