EU welcomes US-Iran ceasefire, urges efforts to create lasting agreement

BRUSSELS, April 8 (Reuters) - EU leaders on Wednesday welcomed the two-week ceasefire ​agreed by the United States and Iran.

“I welcome ‌the two-week ceasefire the US and Iran agreed last night. It brings much needed de-escalation”, European Commission President Ursula ​von der Leyen said on social media platform ​X, adding it was crucial negotiations continue for ⁠an enduring solution.

The Reuters Iran Briefing newsletter keeps you informed with the latest developments and analysis of the Iran war. Sign up here.

European Council President Costa added on ​X that he urged “all parties to uphold its terms ​in order to achieve sustainable peace in the region”.

Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, said the ceasefire deal was “a step ​back from the brink after weeks of escalation”.

“It ​creates a much-needed chance to tone down threats, stop missiles, restart ‌shipping, ⁠and create space for diplomacy towards a lasting agreement,” she added.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced late on Tuesday that he had 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.

The ​announcement ⁠late on Tuesday represented an abrupt turnaround from his extraordinary warning earlier in the day, when he said “a ⁠whole ​civilization will die tonight” if his ​demands were not met.

Reporting by Makini Brice, Lili Bayer, Writing by Charlotte ​Van Campenhout, Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta and Edwina Gibbs

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

• Suggested Topics:

• World

• X

• Facebook

• Linkedin

• Email

• Link

Purchase Licensing Rights