The United States and Iran have agreed to halt attacks and enter negotiations after 38 days of conflict, averting the worst-case scenario and moving one step closer to ending hostilities. However, significant gaps remain between the two sides on issues ranging from nuclear weapons and uranium enrichment to control of the Strait of Hormuz and the scope of attacks on Lebanon, signaling difficult negotiations ahead.
On the afternoon of May 7 (local time), US President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social at 6:32 p.m.—just 88 minutes before the deadline for airstrikes on Iranian power plants and other targets—stating he agreed to "halt bombing and attacks on Iran for two weeks, provided Iran agrees to the complete, immediate, and safe opening of the Strait of Hormuz."
