Iran denies ceasefire proposal as Trump announces end to “12-Day War”

TEHRAN/NEW YORK, June 24 — Conflicting signals emerged over a reported ceasefire between Iran and Israel, with Iranian officials denying any formal agreement had been reached, despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement of a deal to end what he called the “12-Day War.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said early Tuesday there was no “agreement” on a ceasefire between Iran and Israel. However, he indicated that Tehran was prepared to halt further retaliation if Israeli attacks stopped by 4 a.m. Tehran time (0030 GMT).
“If Israel stops its illegal aggression against the Iranian people no later than 4 a.m., Iran has no intention of continuing its response afterwards,” Araqchi wrote in a post on X, adding that “the final decision on the cessation of our military operations will be made later.”
Hours earlier, a senior Iranian official told CNN that Tehran had not received any formal ceasefire proposal from the United States and saw no reason to halt hostilities.
“At this very moment, the enemy is committing aggression against Iran, and Iran is on the verge of intensifying its retaliatory strikes, with no ear to listen to the lies of its enemies,” the official was quoted as saying. He added that remarks from U.S. and Israeli leaders would be seen as a “deception” intended to justify further attacks on Iran.
The conflicting narratives raised questions about the implementation and durability of any potential ceasefire. As of Monday night, neither Israeli nor Iranian officials had publicly confirmed any agreement. The White House and the Pentagon had also not issued formal statements, and it remained unclear whether the reported deal had been communicated through diplomatic channels or whether either side intended to follow the terms.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced Monday evening that Israel and Iran have reached a formal agreement to implement a complete and total ceasefire, marking what he called the end of the “12-Day War.”
In a post on his Truth Social platform on Monday, Trump congratulated both nations and revealed that the ceasefire will begin in approximately six hours, following the completion of each side’s ongoing military operations. The truce will initially last 12 hours, during which the opposing side will maintain a posture of “peace and respect.”
According to Trump, Iran will initiate the ceasefire, followed by Israel 12 hours later, culminating in an official declaration of the war’s end at the 24-hour mark.
“On the assumption that everything works as it should, which it will,” Trump wrote, “I would like to congratulate both countries… on having the stamina, courage, and intelligence to end what should be called ‘THE 12 DAY WAR.'”
Calling the agreement a breakthrough that “could have saved the Middle East from years of destruction,” Trump ended his announcement with a sweeping message of unity: “God bless Israel, God bless Iran, God bless the Middle East, God bless the United States of America, and GOD BLESS THE WORLD!” (Xinhua)