Tel Aviv (TDI): Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday that Israel has accepted a ceasefire proposal with Iran, following mediation efforts led by US President Donald Trump.
He also thanked Trump for supporting Israel’s defense and aiding in efforts to neutralize what he called the Iranian nuclear threat.
On the other hand, Iran denied any formal ceasefire, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi rejecting claims that Tehran had agreed to a truce.
He stated that Iran would only consider halting its operations if Israel stopped what he called its “illegal aggression” by 4 a.m. local time.
“We have not agreed to a ceasefire,” Araghchi said bluntly. “The final decision on ending military operations will be taken later.”
Read More: Trump Claims Ceasefire in Israel-Iran War
His remarks contradict earlier reports from unnamed Iranian officials suggesting Tehran had accepted a ceasefire proposal. As of now, no formal statement has come from Israel either confirming or denying a truce.
Adding to the confusion, Araghchi reiterated that Iran is acting in self-defense. “Let me be clear: Israel started this war. There is no agreement in place at this moment,” he said in a statement, warning that the fighting will only stop if Israeli attacks come to a halt.
Meanwhile, fresh violence has been reported despite Trump’s declaration of peace just a day earlier. In southern Israel, the city of Beersheba was struck by missiles reportedly fired from Iran early Tuesday morning.
Israeli media say at least eight people were killed, with more casualties feared. Explosions were also heard in and around Tel Aviv.
Read More: Israel Claims Strikes Delayed Iran’s Nuclear Program by Two Years
According to the Israeli military, two separate volleys of missiles were launched during the night, prompting emergency alerts in multiple regions. One building in Beersheba was hit directly, resulting in at least three confirmed deaths, local reports said.
The escalation comes only hours after Trump announced that Israel and Iran had agreed to end what he called “The 12 Day War.”
He congratulated both nations in a post on Truth Social, saying, “I would like to congratulate both Countries, Israel and Iran, on having the Stamina, Courage, and Intelligence to end this war.”
Farkhund Yousafzai is an Associate Editor at The Diplomatic Insight.
