New Delhi, April 8 (IANS) Foreign Affairs Expert K.P. Fabian on Wednesday welcomed the announcement of a two-week ceasefire agreement by the US and Iran, terming it "very important and a good result." He said that even though Donald Trump has acknowledged the 10-point plan by Iran, it does not mean that the US President agrees to it.
Speaking to IANS, Fabian stressed that the ceasefire is good for the US, Israel, West Asia and India.
On the ceasefire announcement, Fabian said, "This is a very important result because President Trump said that he will remove the Iranian civilisation... He said he will attack power plants, bridges and other things. And secondly, Israel also wanted to do this, and Israel had serious plans... But President Trump announced the ceasefire. This is very important because it is good for all of us. It is good for America, good for Iran, good for Israel, good for West Asia and good for India...So, this is a very important and good result."
KP Fabian's statement came after US President Donald Trump announced a conditional two-week pause in planned attacks tied to reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a development that came as a big relief to people across the world.
When asked about his view on the conflict between Israel and Iran, Fabian said, "When there is a ceasefire, President Trump said that it is a two-sided ceasefire. This means that this ceasefire will end the war with Israel, and I read in the Times of Israel that Israel also agrees...The ceasefire has been announced since this evening. But, there will be shooting for a little while longer because Iran's IRGC have many branches. They are independent, and it is difficult for Iran to communicate... But Israel will agree, and Iran will agree."
Donald Trump's announcement came 90 minutes before the self-imposed 8 pm EST deadline set by him for Iran to reach a deal, after backchannel diplomacy.
Trump, in a post on Truth Social on Tuesday (local time), said he would “suspend” an escalation of attacks for two weeks if Iran agrees to open the key shipping route.
“The reason for doing so is that we have already met and exceeded all Military objectives, and are very far along with a definitive Agreement concerning long-term peace with Iran, and peace in the Middle East,” Trump wrote.
He added that the United States had received “a 10-point proposal from Iran” that was “a workable basis on which to negotiate.”
Trump said “almost all of the various points of past contention” had been agreed, and the two-week pause would allow the agreement “to be finalised and consummated.”
The ceasefire is conditional. Trump said it depends on Iran agreeing to the “complete, immediate, and safe opening of the Strait of Hormuz.”
Iran signalled tentative acceptance.
Reacting to this, Fabian said, "President Trump has said that he has read the 10-point plan of Iran, but he did not say that he agrees with it. He can consider it, but he does not agree with all of its points..."
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said Tehran would halt operations if attacks stop.
“If attacks against Iran are halted, our Powerful Armed Forces will cease their defensive operations,” he said.
“For a period of two weeks, safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be possible via coordination with Iran’s Armed Forces and with due consideration of technical limitations,” he added.
Speaking about it, Fabian said, "The Iranian FM has said that there would be safe passage through Hormuz, but Iran's forces will coordinate it, and there would be technical limitations to it. Additionally, according to the reports, Iran and Oman will levy taxes on ships crossing the Strait," he added.
--IANS
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