After agreeing to two-week ceasefire, both Iran and US claim victory – Who is right?

The points both sides appear to have agreed on could favour or complicate upcoming talks in Islamabad.

Representative image (AI)

US-Israel-Iran War: Iran and the United States have both claimed victory after agreeing to a two‑week ceasefire, just before US President Donald Trump’s deadline to hit Iranian energy and civil infrastructure. The more than one‑month war caused heavy losses. At least 2,076 people were killed in strikes by the United States and Israel on Iran since February 28. Thousands more died in countries across the region as fighting expanded. The military confrontation also hit international energy supplies.

On April 8, Trump posted on Truth Social that the United States would pause its bombing campaign after receiving a 10‑point ceasefire proposal from Iran. He described the plan as “workable” and said that “almost all of the various points of past contention have been agreed to”.

Iran, for its part, said it would allow ships to move through the Strait of Hormuz, though some within the country criticised the leadership for yielding to pressure.

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Both sides are set to continue talks in Pakistan from April 10. Analysts say that while both governments have agreed to the ceasefire, they have eased some of their earlier red lines. Those unresolved issues could affect how the negotiations progress.

Terms of agreement

Under the ceasefire deal, the United States has agreed to suspend bombing Iran for two weeks. Trump said, “The reason for doing so is that we have already met and exceeded all military objectives, and are very far along with a definitive agreement concerning long term PEACE with Iran, and PEACE in the Middle East…a two week period will allow the agreement to be finalised and consummated.”

He did not confirm if US negotiators would travel to Islamabad for the talks. Analysts suggest that for him, the main achievement is getting Iran to agree to negotiate after escalating threats. They also point out that Trump will need concrete concessions from Iran to present this as a long-term success.

Meanwhile, Iran’s authorities said they would stop “defensive operations” if attacks ceased and that armed forces would allow safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Many in Iran, however, are angry because distrust toward Washington has grown after repeated strikes during ongoing negotiations.

Earlier demands from both sides

The United States had proposed a 15-point plan to Iran through Pakistan on March 25, which Tehran initially rejected as “excessive”. It reportedly included a 30-day ceasefire, opening the Strait of Hormuz for safe passage, decommissioning nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan, stopping uranium enrichment and handing stockpiles to the IAEA, ending support for regional proxies like Hezbollah, limiting ballistic missiles to self-defense, lifting all sanctions and providing electricity support to Iran’s Bushehr nuclear plant.

Tehran responded with a 10-point plan emphasising non-aggression from the United States, controlled passage through the Strait of Hormuz, recognition of its nuclear enrichment, lifting of all sanctions and resolutions, withdrawal of US combat forces from the region, compensation for war damages and release of frozen Iranian assets.

Trump had called the proposal a “significant step” but initially “not good enough”. He later said it was “workable” as the basis for a final agreement.

What both sides have conceded

From Iran’s side, authorities agreed to a temporary two-week ceasefire rather than holding out for a permanent halt. They also changed their positions on reparations, proposing that fees from ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz could be used for reconstruction instead of direct payments.

Iranian leaders had pushed for a ceasefire covering attacks on regional allies like Hezbollah in Lebanon, though Israel’s recent bombing in Beirut raises questions about whether Lebanon is covered under the agreement.

Analysts say that Iran may still try to assert influence over regional matters despite the strikes.

From the US side, the main sticking point of controlling the Strait of Hormuz was eased. While Trump demanded free and safe passage, Iran retains authority over the waterway and is expected to continue collecting fees for reconstruction.

The United States has not pushed publicly on Iran’s missile programme since the ceasefire announcement, though it had previously demanded severe limits.

What comes next

As talks resume in Islamabad, the main question is how far each side is willing to compromise. One of Iran’s core demands, the withdrawal of US forces from the Middle East, is considered a non-starter. Washington has a military presence in the region for over six decades, with roughly 50,000 troops across 19 sites, not including additional forces called up for the war.

Analysts say that Gulf countries will ultimately decide for themselves how to manage the US presence even as the Iranian government views the bases as a vulnerability.

The coming days will show whether the ceasefire can become a lasting agreement or if old tensions will affect the next round of talks.