When President Trump took to X on June 24 to proclaim that a ceasefire between Israel and Iran was “already in effect,” Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian delivered a blunt response: Tehran would only honor a truce if Israel halted its military operations immediately. Speaking in Moscow alongside Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Amir-Abdollahian made clear that Washington’s announcement was premature.
@IRIMFA_EN “No ceasefire can be valid unless Israel respects our sovereignty. Words alone will not stop the bombs.” view on X
Trump’s post by @POTUS declared, “Israel and Iran have agreed to cease hostilities—deal is done.” But Iran’s top diplomat swiftly clarified on the IRNA news site that “we paused our operations only after seeing a concrete Israeli halt.”
The discrepancy emerged as diplomats in Doha and Geneva scrambled to salvage the fragile pause in fighting. Qatari mediator Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani told BBC News that “both sides must formalize terms in writing. Verbal assurances will not suffice.”
@BBCWorld “Mediators warn that Trump’s social-media ceasefire needs codification to avoid unraveling.” view on X
In Tehran, state TV aired Amir-Abdollahian’s remarks, emphasizing that “no further Iranian operations will stop until Israel stops bombing Gaza.” Meanwhile, Israeli officials insisted they had agreed only to a temporary pause to allow hostage releases—a fact Trump’s broad declaration glossed over.
Congressional leaders reacted with alarm. Senator Bob Menendez (D–NJ) told Politico that “ceasefires must be negotiated, not tweeted. This circus undermines U.S. credibility.” In contrast, Senator Lindsey Graham (R–SC) tweeted support: “If Trump says it’s done, let’s hold him to it—then we’ll see if Iran follows.”
@SenMenendez “Diplomacy isn’t a soundbite contest. Congress must see the agreement text.” view on X
International bodies urged clarity. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, in a press release, called for a written pact under Security Council auspices. The European Union’s Josep Borrell echoed that sentiment on X, noting that “lasting peace requires clear terms, verification, and enforcement.”
@EUforeignpolicy “A ceasefire announced on social media must be backed by solid text and monitoring mechanisms.” view on X
Meanwhile, the International Atomic Energy Agency reported that Iran briefly halted enrichment work at Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan but resumed operations within 48 hours—an implicit sign that Tehran viewed Trump’s announcement skeptically. The IAEA’s latest report confirmed the swift restart.
@IAEAorg “Enrichment paused temporarily; resumed once ceasefire’s parameters proved unclear.” view on X
Traders reacted to the uncertainty. Brent crude oil spiked 6% as markets braced for renewed conflict, per Bloomberg, while defense stocks climbed on concerns of a wider war.
On the ground, Palestinian health authorities warned that any breakdown in the pause would exacerbate the humanitarian crisis. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs urged all parties to “cement a written ceasefire to protect tens of thousands of civilians” OCHA bulletin.
@UNOCHA “A formal agreement is the only guarantee against renewed bloodshed.” view on X
As international actors press for a concrete deal, Trump’s off-the-cuff declaration remains in limbo. Without a mutually agreed text and implementation plan, Iran’s FM has made clear that “no political showmanship can override real-world conditions on the ground.”
With the region on edge, the coming days will determine if Trump’s “done deal” becomes a durable peace or another diplomatic mirage.
