Us and iran reach last-minute ceasefire deal as trump's deadline looms

In a dramatic turn of events, the United States and Iran have agreed to a two-week ceasefire just hours before President Donald Trump's self-imposed deadline to launch a devastating attack on the Islamic Republic.

Pakistan leads diplomatic intervention

A last-minute diplomatic push led by Pakistan averted the brink of war, with Trump announcing the ceasefire agreement less than two hours before his 8pm ET deadline.

The sudden about-face comes after five weeks of escalating tensions between the two nations, with the US threatening to cripple Iran's power grid and economic infrastructure if Tehran failed to comply with its demands, particularly the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump's initial deadline had sparked widespread alarm among legal scholars, international officials, and even the Pope, who warned the planned airstrikes could constitute war crimes.