Trump agrees to two-week Iran ceasefire, drops threat to destroy ‘whole civilisation’
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran, less than two hours before his deadline for Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face devastating attacks on its civilian infrastructure, Reuters reported.
Trump’s announcement on social media represented an abrupt turnaround from earlier in the day, when he issued an extraordinary warning that “a whole civilisation will die tonight” if his demands were not met.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who helped mediate the ceasefire, said in a post on X that he had invited Iranian and US delegations to meet in Islamabad on Friday.
Trump's threat to Iran shocks global leaders, unnerves some Republicans
U.S. President Donald Trump's warning to destroy Iran if it did not yield to his demands drew rebukes from around the globe and even unnerved some aides and supporters, though administration officials said the increasingly hostile rhetoric was merely a negotiating tactic to force Tehran to concede, Reuters reported.
"A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don't want that to happen, but it probably will," Trump wrote online early on Tuesday, ahead of the 8 p.m. EST (2400 GMT) deadline he set for Iran to strike a deal with the U.S.
At 6:32 p.m. EST, Trump announced he had agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran.
Russia, China Veto UN Resolution On Reopening Strait Of Hormuz
Russia and China vetoed a UN Security Council resolution Tuesday on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a text already diluted to remove Gulf states' desired green light to use force to protect the key shipping lane, AFP reported.
The draft resolution prepared by Bahrain and supported by the United States received 11 votes in favor, two against and two abstentions. Bahrain's Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani said Gulf states "regret" the outcome.
Iran has imposed an effective blockade on the critical waterway since the United States and Israel launched the war on February 28, sending ripple effects throughout the global economy, according to AFP.
Private schools told to refund fees collected unlawfully
The federal government has issued a circular to the local governments to withdraw admission fees collected from students against the operation and standards of the new academic calendar that commences from April 28 in the Lunar Calendar.
In a circular sent to all local level governments through the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, the government has stressed enforcement of the April 5 (Chaitra 22) directive to withdraw admission and other fees being unlawfully charged by private schools.
It may be noted that the Nepal government's Council of Ministers had decided to run the new academic session from April 28, due to short supply of fuel.
The Constitution has also entrusted the local level governments with the right to operate and monitor schools.
The Education Ministry has taken the initiative to enforce the Supreme Court's decision to not enroll students before the new academic session.
The government has put forward the legal process to withdraw admission fees charged against the existing laws and all other fees except those determined by the Private School Fee Determination Standards Directive, 2072 BS.
