World welcomes US-Iran ceasefire, calls for lasting peace in Middle East

Hind Al Soulia - Riyadh - DUBAI — Countries across the region and beyond have welcomed the news of a two-week ceasefire in the US-Israel war on Iran, with Arab governments calling for renewed diplomacy to achieve lasting peace.

The truce, announced by US President Donald Trump on Tuesday, will also see Iran reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital maritime corridor through which a fifth of the world’s oil supply passes.

Reactions ranged from cautious optimism to assertions of strategic gains.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who helped mediate the ceasefire, said in a post on X that he had invited Iranian and US delegations to meet in Islamabad on Friday.

“Both parties have displayed remarkable wisdom and understanding and have remained constructively engaged in furthering the cause of peace and stability,” Sharif wrote on social media.

“We earnestly hope, that the ‘Islamabad Talks’ succeed in achieving sustainable peace and wish to share more good news in coming days!”
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) said the Emirates had emerged stronger from the conflict, despite seeking to avoid it.

“The UAE emerged victorious from a war we sincerely sought to avoid,” presidential adviser Anwar Gargash wrote on X, adding that the country was now better equipped to navigate a complex regional landscape and shape future outcomes.

In Oman, officials emphasized mediation and long-term stability, with the foreign minister pledging support for efforts toward “strong and enduring regional security” and urging serious negotiations between Washington and Tehran to achieve lasting peace.

Saudi Arabia also signaled support for diplomacy, with the foreign ministry backing efforts to reach an agreement that addresses the root causes of instability and longstanding threats to regional security.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on X that he supports Trump’s decision to suspend strikes on Iran, and the “US effort to ensure that Iran no longer poses a nuclear, missile and terror threat to America, Israel, Iran’s Arab neighbours and the world”.

Netanyahu said, however, that the ceasefire does “not include Lebanon“, where Israeli forces have launched a ground invasion and are fighting with the Iran-aligned Hezbollah.

Iraq’s foreign ministry said Wednesday it “welcomes” the two-week ceasefire, calling for “serious and sustainable dialogue” between the US and Iran.
The ministry “calls for building upon this positive step by launching serious and sustainable dialogue tracks that address the root causes of the disputes and strengthen mutual trust,” it posted on X.

Australia welcomed the agreement between the US, Israel and Iran for a truce to help negotiate a resolution to the conflict, the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.

“We thank and support the work of negotiators, including Pakistan, Egypt, Turkiye and Saudi Arabia, in advancing de-escalation efforts,” the prime minister said in a statement.

Egypt welcomed the move by parties in the conflict to sign on to a truce suspending military operations in the region, its foreign ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

Egypt emphasized the importance of respecting the sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and Jordan, rejecting any violations or threats to their sovereignty, especially given the close link between their security and stability and Egypt’s own security, the ministry said.

The UN chief called on all parties to comply with their obligations under international law.

“The Secretary-General welcomes the announcement of a two-week ceasefire by the United States and Iran,” Stéphane Dujarric, spokesman for the Secretary-General, said.

Antonio Guterres “calls on all the parties to the current conflict in the Middle East to comply with their obligations under international law and to abide by the terms of the ceasefire in order to pave the way toward a lasting and comprehensive peace in the region,” Dujarric added.

Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara told reporters that Tokyo welcomes the news of a two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran as a “positive move” as it awaits a “final agreement”.

Minoru said the de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East remains a top priority, according to the Kyodo News Agency.
Indonesia’s Foreign Ministry Yvonne Mewengkang said Jakarta welcomes a ceasefire deal and called on Iran and the US to respect the “sovereignty, territorial integrity and diplomacy” of each side, according to the Reuters news agency.

Mewengkang also called for a thorough investigation into the deaths of three Indonesian UN peacekeepers killed by explosions in Lebanon in late March amid fighting between Israeli forces and Hezbollah fighters.

Malaysia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the ceasefire marks a “significant development [and] serves as a crucial step towards de-escalating tensions and restoring much-needed peace and stability” to the Middle East.

It also urged “all parties to fully respect and implement all terms of the ceasefire in good faith to prevent any return to hostilities”, while also avoiding any “provocative actions or unilateral measures that could negatively impact the fragile stability of the region or jeopardise global economic and energy security”.

Oil prices plunged Wednesday while stocks rallied after the US and Iran agreed to the ceasefire that will see Tehran temporarily reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz.

Futures for US crude oil sank 14.3% to $96.83 a barrel and Brent crude oil, the international standard, dropped 13.3% to $94.74.
Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 rose 4.8% and South Korea’s Kospi gained 5.6%. Futures for the S&P 500 advanced 2.3% as of 9:30 p.m. EDT, while Dow futures rose 2%. — Agencies