Trump Says Iran and Israel Came to Him ‘Almost Simultaneously’ for Peace

President Donald Trump announced Monday on his Truth Social that Israel and Iran have agreed to a “complete and total” ceasefire, saying both nations came to him “almost simultaneously” seeking peace.

The announcement came hours after Iran launched ballistic missiles at the U.S. military’s Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, retaliating for American strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities over the weekend.

Newsweek reached out to the White House via email on Monday for comment.

Why It Matters

The strikes from the United States over the weekend against Iran mark the first direct U.S. military involvement in the escalating Israel-Iran war that began earlier this month.

Following the U.S. air assault, Trump said on Truth Social that “Monumental Damage was done to all Nuclear sites in Iran.” The targets included the nuclear enrichment facilities of Isfahan, Natanz and Fordow, the latter being a heavily fortified compound up to 300 feet below a mountain outside the city of Qom.

The strike was carried out by B-2 stealth bombers using the Massive Ordinance Penetrator (MOP), a 15-ton bomb long been assessed as the only conventional munition capable of inflicting lasting damage to the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant.

Iranian officials have always denied seeking a nuclear weapon. Officials from Israel, which is widely believed to possess a nuclear arsenal, have alleged that Tehran had amassed enough nuclear material to produce up to 15 bombs, prompting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to order a “preemptive” campaign.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have launched hundreds of strikes across Iran, targeting nuclear facilities, military sites and killing senior personnel, including military commanders and nuclear scientists. Military tensions between the two countries have rapidly heightened in the days since, with Iran launching hundreds of missiles and drones against Israel.

What To Know

Trump coordinated with Qatari leadership to secure the ceasefire agreement, according to a diplomat briefed on the development.

The deal was coordinated at the highest level by the president, Vice President JD Vance, and the Qatari emir and prime minister. Israel’s government has yet to publicly comment, while a senior Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran had agreed to the U.S.-proposed ceasefire.

Trump unveiled the deal in multiple Truth Social posts, first announcing: “It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE (in approximately 6 hours from now, when Israel and Iran have wound down and completed their in progress, final missions!), for 12 hours, at which point the War will be considered, ENDED!”

He outlined that Iran would start the ceasefire, and Israel would join at the 12th hour, with the official end to the “12 Day War” occurring after 24 hours total.

In a later post, Trump declared: “Israel & Iran came to me, almost simultaneously, and said, ‘PEACE!’ I knew the time was NOW. The World, and the Middle East, are the real WINNERS! Both Nations will see tremendous LOVE, PEACE, AND PROSPERITY in their futures.”

Two U.S. defense officials told Newsweek that there were no American casualties from Iran’s missile strike on Al Udeid, with Qatari officials acknowledging that one of 19 projectiles struck the facility.

Trump offered a different count of 14 missiles, calling the attack “very weak” and thanking Tehran for providing “early notice” that prevented casualties. He expressed optimism that Iran had “gotten it all out of their ‘system'” and hoped for regional de-escalation.

What People Are Saying

Vance posted on X, formerly Twitter: “Thanks to President Trump’s bold leadership, the Iranian nuclear program has been obliterated, and the 12 Day War is over. This is a historic moment and a massive step toward lasting peace in the Middle East.”

Speaking on Iranian state television, an overnight anchor repeatedly referred to a “Trump-claimed” ceasefire, without saying whether Tehran accepted it. The anchor noted, according to the Associated Press (AP): “Simultaneously with Trump’s claim of a ceasefire, the Zionist enemy targeted several points in the cities of Tehran, Urmia and Rasht, including a residential area in the capital.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt posted to X an AP headline of the news and wrote that Trump: “Has accomplished what no other president in history could ever imagine — the obliteration of the Iranian Regime’s nuclear program, and an unprecedented ceasefire between Israel and Iran.”

Former Republican Congressman Joe Walsh, on X: “The problem with this “ceasefire,” as always, is that you can’t believe anything Donald Trump says. Because he lies as he breathes.”

What Happens Next

Israel’s preferred outcome is for Iran to agree to the ceasefire and resume negotiations with the United States over its nuclear program, according to an official who spoke to AP.

With no official confirmation from either Iran or Israel, and continued hostilities reported despite the announced ceasefire, peace remains far from guaranteed.