South Africa welcomes U.S.-Iran ceasefire, calls for permanent resolution

In a dramatic shift following 40 days of escalating conflict, the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran have agreed to a temporary two-week ceasefire, with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa commending the development.

The breakthrough was announced by U.S. President Donald Trump and Pakistan Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, who mediated the talks.

The core condition of the agreement requires Iran to immediately reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global oil chokepoint it had reportedly blocked, in exchange for a suspension of U.S. military strikes.

The deal, praised by Saudi Arabia as the result of “fruitful efforts” by Pakistan, specifically names General Asim Munir, Commander of the Pakistani Army, as instrumental in its conclusion.

Plans are underway for follow-up talks in Islamabad to solidify the terms and explore a more enduring peace.

However, the ceasefire explicitly excludes the Lebanon-Israel theater, with an Israeli military spokesperson confirming that operations against Hezbollah are continuing unabated, underscoring the fragile and compartmentalized nature of the truce.

President Ramaphosa, while welcoming the announcement of the ceasefire, emphasised the need for a “permanent ceasefire and constructive negotiations” to achieve a comprehensive, lasting diplomatic solution.

He warned that further hostilities risk deepening Middle East instability.

The announcement follows a period of intense violence that saw Iranian missile attacks target Israel and Gulf states, with Israeli retaliatory strikes on Iranian infrastructure. Global markets are watching closely, with the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz likely to ease oil supply fears.

President Ramaphosa positioned South Africa as an advocate for a permanent resolution to the conflict, stating, “We welcome the announcement of a ceasefire and are hopeful that it will lay the basis for a permanent resolution of the conflict.”