BEIJING, June 24 – The Israel-Iran conflict has seen dramatic developments in past few hours – Iran’s Press TV says ceasefire begins after waves of attack, the Global Times reported.
Earlier, Iranian foreign minister denied any official ceasefire agreement has been made after US President Donald Trump’s social media post announced so.
The situation remains extremely volatile and complex, and information sometimes was contradictory, Chinese observers said, adding that even if a ceasefire can be brokered for now, the thorny topics of Iran’s nuclear issue are difficult to unknot.
Iran’s Press TV says ceasefire begins following waves of attacks, Xinhua News Agency reported.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi wrote on X that “As of now, there is NO ‘agreement’ on any ceasefire or cessation of military operations. However, provided that the Israeli regime stops its illegal aggression against the Iranian people no later than 4 am Tehran time, we have no intention to continue our response afterwards.”
The final decision on the cessation of our military operations will be made later, Araghchi wrote.
There have been no reports of Israeli strikes in Iran after 4 am local time, AP reported.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei wrote that “We didn’t harm anyone. And we will not accept any harassment from anyone under any circumstances. And we will not submit to anyone’s harassment; This is the logic of the Iranian nation.”
These remarks came after Reuters reported that a senior Iranian official has told Reuters that Tehran has agreed to a ceasefire proposed by the US and mediated by Qatar.
Earlier, President Trump wrote on his Truth Social 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.”
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.
There has been no official response to the proposed ceasefire from Israel.
Zhu Yongbiao, director of the Center for Afghanistan Studies at Lanzhou University, told the Global Times that although Israel and the US have shared goal of long term, they diverge on short-term targets and approaches.
The US would act more cautiously as it is reluctant to get bogged down in the quagmire of Middle East or bear any greater cost, Zhu said.
Liu Zhongmin, a professor from the Middle East Studies Institute of Shanghai International Studies University, said that this round of conflict may have entered the concluding phase and the US’ involvement – its strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities – has made the conflict fiercer and more destructive.
All parties involved are strained, but after intense strikes, the core contradiction of Gaza and Iran’s nuclear issue remain, Liu said, adding that even if a ceasefire is made and conflicting parties turn to diplomatic negotiation, conflicts could break out again.
Iran’s military said it carried out a “devastating and powerful” missile attack on the Al Udeid US airbase in Qatar following Tehran’s threat to retaliate for US airstrikes, Reuters reported on its official X account.
Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that Tehran had begun a missile campaign dubbed the “Annunciation of Victory,” targeting US bases in both Iraq and Qatar, Xinhua News Agency reported.
The Chinese Embassy in Qatar on Monday has once again called on Chinese nationals in the country to remain highly vigilant, closely monitor security risks, and continuously improve their personal safety measures, according to a statement released on Monday via the embassy’s official WeChat account.
According to notices on the official WeChat accounts of the Chinese embassies and consulates in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Tuesday, in light of the current regional security situation, Chinese citizens in these countries are advised to exercise caution when traveling, stay away from military bases and sensitive facilities, and ensure personal safety.
