Khamenei greenlit Trump ceasefire via notes, 11 sources say
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- Mojtaba Khamenei instructed his negotiators to move toward a deal for the first time since the war began, communicating via runners passing notes because of an active Israeli assassination threat, with two sources calling it a 'breakthrough.'
- Steve Witkoff called Iran's initial 10-point counter-proposal 'a disaster, a catastrophe,' sparking a chaotic Monday of amendments shuttled by Pakistani, Egyptian, and Turkish mediators that produced a U.S.-approved two-week ceasefire by nightfall.
- U.S. forces and Pentagon officials spent the closing hours preparing for a massive bombing campaign on Iranian infrastructure, with one defense official telling Axios: 'We had no idea what was going to happen. It was wild.'
- Trump made his 'a whole civilization will die tonight' threat Tuesday morning despite behind-the-scenes momentum, then accepted the deal after receiving hawkish pushback; he spoke to Netanyahu for commitment before calling Pakistani Field Marshal Asim Munir to close it.
- Iran agreed to adhere to the ceasefire and open the Strait of Hormuz 'in coordination with Iran's armed forces,' while VP Vance is likely to lead the U.S. delegation at Friday talks in Pakistan — 'easily the most consequential assignment of his political career.'
- China was advising Iran to seek an off-ramp, while Netanyahu received assurances the U.S. would insist Iran give up nuclear material, cease enrichment, and abandon its ballistic missile threat.
- Major gaps remain between the U.S. and Iranian visions, and Defense Secretary Hegseth and Press Secretary Leavitt are expected to argue Wednesday that Trump's threats — not his diplomacy — made the deal possible.
Why it matters: Eleven sources reveal the U.S. came within hours of a massive bombing campaign on Iran that civilians were already fleeing, making the two-week ceasefire a razor-thin outcome decided by one Supreme Leader's handwritten note. The truce rests on shaky ground: Iran will only open the Strait of Hormuz 'in coordination with' its armed forces, and Vance's Friday delegation must close gaps on enrichment, nuclear material, and ballistic missiles — or the war resumes within two weeks.
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