US and Iran agree two-week ceasefire
Newshour
BBC
4.2 • 1.1K Ratings
🗓️ 8 April 2026
⏱️ 49 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
The US and Iran have agreed a two-week ceasefire and as part of the agreement Iran says it will reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Both sides have claimed victory, with the US defense secretary saying it "offers chance at real peace".
Also in the programme: Despite the ceasefire, Israel has continued pummelling what it says are dozens of command centres belonging to Hezbollah, Iran's proxy force in Lebanon; and we'll hear more about the impact of powerchair football for participants with life-limiting disabilities.
(Photo shows U.S. President Donald Trump at a press conference at the White House in Washington, D.C. on 6 April 2026. Evan Vucci/Reuters)
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, podcasts. |
| 0:09.2 | Hello and welcome to NewsHour from the BBC World Service. |
| 0:12.7 | We're coming to you live from London. |
| 0:14.4 | I'm James Menendez. |
| 0:15.9 | In the end, the world didn't have to wait to see what would happen |
| 0:18.3 | when President Trump's ultimatum to Iran to make a deal expired at 8pm Washington time last night. He had warned of a whole |
| 0:26.4 | civilization dying, but about an hour and a half before the deadline came, this announcement on |
| 0:31.9 | the President's Truth Social Network, which has been voiced by one of our team. |
| 0:36.9 | Based on conversations with Prime Minister Shabaz Sharif and field marshal Asim Manir of |
| 0:42.4 | Pakistan, and wherein they requested that I hold off the destructive force being sent |
| 0:47.8 | tonight to Iran and subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the complete, immediate |
| 0:54.0 | and safe opening of the Strait of Hormuz, I agree to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the complete, immediate and safe opening of the Strait of Hormuz, |
| 0:57.4 | I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks. |
| 1:02.9 | This will be a double-sided ceasefire. |
| 1:05.8 | The reason for doing so is that we have already met and exceeded all military objectives and are very far along |
| 1:13.2 | with a definitive agreement concerning long-term peace with Iran and peace in the Middle East. |
| 1:19.7 | We received a 10-point proposal from Iran and believe it is a workable basis on which to |
| 1:25.2 | negotiate. Well, his post acknowledging there the role of Pakistan, |
| 1:29.5 | which has been mediating between the US and Iran over the past couple of weeks. |
| 1:33.6 | And interestingly, the Pakistani Prime Minister, Shabashirif, |
| 1:37.0 | has said that the ceasefire is effective everywhere, including in Lebanon. |
| 1:41.3 | Although, as we'll be hearing, |
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