BREAKING President Trump Announces Ceasefire with Iran Following Appeal by Pope Leo XIV and US Bishops' President to "step back"

President Donald Trump pulls back from the brink of war with Iran. Just 90 minutes before his 8 p.m. deadline to "end a civilization," President Trump agreed to a 2-week ceasefire.

• The Deal: The U.S. pauses strikes; Iran reopens the Strait of Hormuz.

• The Mediator: Pakistan brokered the pause and invited leaders to Islamabad for peace talks.

• Status: Iran has accepted and promised safe passage for ships. Oil markets are watching closely as 1,500+ vessels wait to transit.

The ceasefire follows an intervention by Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. He issued the following appeal to President Trump: “The threat of destroying a whole civilization and the intentional targeting of civilian infrastructure cannot be morally justified. There are other ways to resolve conflict between peoples. I call on President Trump to step back from the precipice of war and negotiate a just settlement for the sake of peace and before more lives are lost."

• Pope Leo XIV issued a direct call for a end to war saying - “Today, as we all know, there has also been this threat against the entire people of Iran. And this is truly unacceptable! There are certainly issues of international law here, but even more, it is a moral question concerning the good of the people as a whole, in its entirety.” Thus, Pope Leo urged, "Come back to the table. Let's talk. Let's look for solutions in a peaceful way." "Let's remember, especially, the innocent: children, the elderly, the sick, so many people who have already become, or will become, victims of this continued warfare—and to remind all that attacks on civilian infrastructure are against international law, and that they are also a sign of the hatred, division, and destruction that the human being is capable of." "I would like to invite everyone to pray, but also to seek ways to communicate—perhaps with the 'congressmen', with the authorities—to say that we don't want war, we want peace! We are a people who love peace. There is so much need for peace in the world!" "Search always for peace and reject war."

• A Fourth Extension: Temporary Truce In what has become a pattern of brinkmanship, President Trump has issued his fourth deadline extension in the conflict with Iran, trading a threatened "carpet-bombing" for a two-week cooling-off period. Under the terms of the Pakistani-mediated deal, the U.S. will halt its bombardment of Iranian power plants and bridges in exchange for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. While the administration claims it has "exceeded military objectives," critics argue the "gangster-style" diplomacy leaves the long-term stability of the region in doubt, even as energy markets breathe a sigh of relief.

• The Deadline: The ceasefire was announced 90 minutes before the 8:00 PM ET deadline.

• The Condition: Iran must open the Strait of Hormuz (currently blocked, causing a 50% spike in oil prices).

• The Terms: A 14-day pause; Pakistan is acting as the primary mediator.

• The Future: Leaders are invited to Islamabad on Friday to discuss a 10-point peace plan.