Leaders Reach "Ten-Day Ceasefire" Agreement, Iran Announces Opening of Strait of Hormuz to All Merchant Ships

[Global Times Special Correspondent in Saudi Arabia Ren Haoyu, Global Times Special Correspondent in Israel Zhang Hao, Global Times Special Correspondent Yu Wen] Lebanon and Israel confirmed that a ceasefire officially began at 00:00 local time on the 17th, lasting for 10 days. The ceasefire in Lebanon is seen as removing a major obstacle to broader negotiations between the United States and Iran, welcomed by all parties including Iran. Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif stated that, given the ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, Iran will open the Strait of Hormuz to all commercial vessels during the ceasefire. U.S. President Trump expressed gratitude and welcomed this. On the same day, international crude oil prices fell by more than 10%. AFP commented that the ceasefire in Lebanon and Iran's opening of the Strait of Hormuz raised hopes that two major obstacles to U.S.-Iran negotiations had been cleared. Meanwhile, the Israeli military stated on the 17th that it would lift wartime restrictions in most parts of the country, returning to normal activity levels. However, some media pointed out that the Lebanon-Israel ceasefire agreement is "more fragile" than the U.S.-Iran ceasefire, as the demands of all parties have not been met. Nevertheless, Trump stated on the 16th that the Iranian conflict "should end soon," and that the U.S. might engage in another round of face-to-face negotiations with Iran this weekend. If a peace agreement is reached, he would consider traveling to Pakistan to sign it. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiajun stated on the 17th that China welcomes all efforts to help ceasefire and stop the war. He hopes that relevant parties will maintain a responsible attitude to uphold the ceasefire and negotiation momentum, resolving disputes through political and diplomatic means.

Israel Lifts Wartime Restrictions

The Lebanon-Israel ceasefire agreement was first announced by Trump on the 16th, who called it a "historic day" for Lebanon, and the leaders of Lebanon and Israel are likely to meet at the White House "in the next week or two." Both leaders welcomed the ceasefire, with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu calling it an "opportunity to reach a historic peace agreement." The terms of the agreement stipulate a ceasefire period of 10 days, which can be extended by mutual consent if negotiations make progress.

The Lebanon-Israel conflict reignited due to a large-scale military operation launched by the U.S. and Israel against Iran at the end of February, resulting in approximately 2,300 deaths and over a million displaced persons in Lebanon. On the 17th, many residents of southern Lebanon, displaced by the war, returned to their homes.

The New York Times stated that the Lebanon-Israel ceasefire agreement cleared a major obstacle to ending the U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict, as Iran insisted that the ceasefire agreement must include Lebanon. Although Hezbollah, which primarily engages with the Israeli military, did not sign the agreement, analysts believe there are almost no signs that Hezbollah will violate it, given that the war has caused a severe humanitarian disaster for its support base, leaving Hezbollah with little motivation to resume attacks.

According to Iran's Press TV, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Baghaei stated on the 16th that the Lebanon-Israel ceasefire is part of a ceasefire agreement reached under U.S. mediation in Pakistan, and is a direct result of Tehran's unwavering diplomatic efforts. He praised the Lebanese people and Hezbollah for resisting Israeli aggression and demanded that Israel fully withdraw from the occupied territories in southern Lebanon.

Iranian Islamic Parliament Speaker Ghalibaf stated on the 17th that the Lebanon-Israel ceasefire is the result of Hezbollah's unwavering determination and the strong unity of the "Resistance Axis" members, saying, "We will treat this ceasefire with caution and continue to maintain unity until we achieve complete victory." Hezbollah stated that if Israel violates the ceasefire agreement, its fighters are "ready to pull the trigger at any time."

The BBC stated that the Lebanon-Israel ceasefire is "more fragile" than the U.S.-Iran ceasefire. More complex issues between Lebanon and Israel remain unresolved, Hezbollah still holds arms, and the Israeli military remains in Lebanon, with no timetable for withdrawal. According to details provided by the U.S. State Department, the ceasefire agreement stipulates that Israel retains "the right to take all necessary self-defense measures at any time against planned, imminent, or ongoing attacks."

The Lebanese newspaper Al-Bayane reported that only Israel retained the "right to self-defense" in this ceasefire agreement, indicating that the terms lean towards satisfying Israel's demands, as Israel wishes to continue the war. The BBC mentioned that there was surprise within Israel regarding this ceasefire, with many viewing it as Netanyahu yielding once again to U.S. ceasefire demands. The Israeli newspaper Haaretz analyzed on the 17th that Netanyahu had no choice. A dual ceasefire reduces the likelihood of war resuming. The U.S. side currently seems eager for results, and although the rhetoric remains tough, there is an impatient attitude towards the continuation of the war.

On the 17th, Netanyahu stated that Israel agreed to implement a temporary ceasefire with Lebanon at the request of President Trump, but that Israel "has not yet completed its mission" and is still formulating follow-up action plans against the threats posed by Hezbollah's rockets and drones. Trump stated that after the ceasefire agreement was reached, the U.S. "prohibited" Israel from bombing Lebanon, and that the U.S. would work with Lebanon to "deal with" Hezbollah.

On the same day, the Israel Defense Forces' Home Front Command issued a statement saying that based on the latest situation assessment, most areas of Israel would lift wartime restrictions starting at 16:00 on the 17th. This is the first time since the U.S.-Israel joint airstrikes against Iran on February 28.

Iran Opens the Strait of Hormuz

In previous negotiations held in Pakistan, the three main focal issues between Iran and the U.S. were the most concerning and challenging: the navigation issue in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran's uranium enrichment issue, and whether Lebanon would be included in the ceasefire agreement.

Thanks to the Lebanon-Israel ceasefire, Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif stated on social media on the 17th that the Strait of Hormuz is completely open to all commercial vessels during the Lebanon-Israel ceasefire, with the navigation routes following the coordinated routes previously announced by Iranian ports and maritime organizations. Trump subsequently expressed gratitude via social media: "Iran has just announced that the Strait is fully open for navigation. Thank you!" However, he later stated that the U.S. military's blockade of Iranian ports and vessels would continue until a complete agreement is reached with Iran, "As most issues have been negotiated, this process should be completed quickly." Iran also added that military vessels are still prohibited from passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

European news outlets believe that the statements from both the U.S. and Iran mark a positive resolution to the navigation crisis in the Strait of Hormuz and inject new momentum into the potential second round of U.S.-Iran talks mediated by Pakistan. However, the information from the Iranian Foreign Minister seems to indicate that Iran may still have some leverage, as despite the U.S. blockade, Iran may still wish to control traffic in the Strait as before.

Regarding the issue of Iran's uranium enrichment, new statements have also emerged from the U.S. Trump stated on the 16th that Iran agreed to hand over enriched uranium, which he referred to as "nuclear dust." The Washington Post reported that Trump used "nuclear dust" to describe the highly enriched uranium buried deep underground after the U.S. airstrikes on three key Iranian nuclear facilities last June. Iran has consistently stated that it does not seek to possess nuclear weapons, but the U.S. is concerned that Iran could use this highly enriched uranium to manufacture nuclear weapons. Analysts believe that handing over the existing stock of enriched uranium would be a more substantial concession, but if Iran retains the capability for further enrichment, the strength of this concession is limited. U.S. officials believe that last summer's airstrikes destroyed or damaged many of Iran's centrifuges used for uranium enrichment, but the country likely still has other centrifuges.

As of the evening of the 17th, this newspaper had not received a response from Iran regarding Trump's statement, and U.S. media were also skeptical. The Washington Post stated that previous U.S. claims about Iran's nuclear commitments have either been proven inaccurate or have already fallen through. The Associated Press reported that the White House did not respond to follow-up questions, including the conditions under which Iran would abandon its enriched uranium and to whom the enriched uranium would be handed over.

Recently, the U.S. has been continuously releasing information that the war is about to end. Trump stated on the 16th: "I want to say that the Iranian war is progressing very smoothly. We can do anything we want. And this war should end soon. Everything is perfect." He also mentioned that the U.S. might engage in another round of face-to-face negotiations with Iran this weekend, and if a peace agreement is reached, he would consider traveling to Pakistan to sign it. If negotiations ultimately reach an agreement, he would announce it publicly soon, stating that the peace agreement would bring "free oil and the Strait of Hormuz" to the U.S.

Iran Does Not Hold Military Parade This Year

Whether the Lebanon-Israel ceasefire can lead to breakthroughs in U.S.-Iran negotiations has become a hot topic of discussion. Al Arabiya's correspondent in Washington, Ghanem, pointed out in a report that the Iranian issue is complex, and there remains a possibility of renewed conflict before a final agreement is reached, but the statements made by the U.S. are very positive.

The BBC quoted experts analyzing that the Lebanon-Israel "ten-day ceasefire" agreement may lead to more concrete results. All parties have the motivation to adhere to this agreement, as peace aligns with the interests of all stakeholders. For the U.S., Trump has attributed the credit for the ceasefire to himself; for Israel, the ceasefire does not mean that Israel will withdraw from Lebanon; for Iran and Hezbollah, the Lebanon-Israel ceasefire is the result of negotiations between Iran and the U.S. and the unity of the "Resistance Axis."

April 18 is the Army Day of the Islamic Republic of Iran. According to a report by the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting and Television on the 17th, Iranian Army Commander Amir Hatami stated that Iran is prepared to respond to any threats and aggression from enemies with unwavering determination and iron will, always ready to pull the trigger.

On the 16th, an Iranian military spokesperson stated that Iran is facing special circumstances this year, with all forces on alert. The current ceasefire does not differ much from a state of war for Iran, so this year's Army Day cannot hold a military parade as in previous years.