Trump and Putin Broker Surprise End to Israel-Iran Conflict

June 24—President Donald Trump, working in close coordination with Russian President Vladimir Putin, has apparently succeeded in ending the dangerous, 12-day Israel-Iran war, before Israel's messianic Prime Minister Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu can spin into regional ground war, that could lead to the possible use by Israel of its nuclear weapons.

President Trump last night announced that the two sides had agreed to stop fighting at 4:00 am Iran time, and that if the cease-fire held, the war would end 12 hours from that time. This followed a US strike June 22, with bunker buster bombs, on three Iranian enrichment sites, including the Fordow site, which was embedded deep in a mountain near Qom. According to President Trump, the attacks had destroyed the site and with it the nuclear weapon program, which Iran has said does not exist.

Israeli Statement Declares Mission Accomplished

Having achieved its goals in its campaign in Iran, “and in full coordination with President Trump, Israel has agreed to the president’s proposal for a mutual cease-fire,” the Israeli government said in a statement issued around 2:00 am EDT.

This followed a Security Cabinet meeting in which Netanyahu, flanked by his military and security chiefs, announced that Israel had “achieved all the goals” of its campaign in Iran and much beyond them, according to an official statement. The “immediate” threat of a nuclear Iran has been removed, as well as the threat to Israel from Iranian ballistic missiles, the statement added.

Measured Iranian Response and Russian Pressure

After vowing a lethal response to the attack, Iran yesterday launched a measured 14 missile attack om the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest US base in the region—after warning the US of the impending attack to minimize casualties. No Americans or Otari's were killed or injured, and the US reported that 13 of the missiles were intercepted, with one missing its target completely. President Trump, in a social media post, thanked the Iranians for the warning.

These events followed meetings in Moscow yesterday between an Iranian delegation and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The delegation, which was led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, sources report, was told in no uncertain terms that Russian wanted this war ended, and that Iran must agree to a nuclear deal that would end its nuclear weapons ambitions. Putin told the Iranians that Russia and the United States would guarantee the deal, and that the Russians would provide Iran with enriched uranium below weapons grade for its peaceful civilian nuclear program.

Diplomacy Behind the Scenes and Trump's Direct Role

Sources report that the Iranians had asked the Russians for military assistance, to fight Israel and the United States, if it joined Israel in its attack. These sources say that Putin firmly denied these requests, telling the Iranians that he would not support a defense of their nuclear program when a peaceful negotiated settlement was at hand. Instead, the Russian leader reiterated his demand for an end to the fighting and a return to negotiations.

Trump and the White House were made aware of what was taking place in Moscow, with Trump remarking that if they come up with a measured response, this is over. After the attack on the Air Base, there was a furious round of discussions on a cease-fire, with a timed plan worked out, with Trump's Special Envoy Steve Witkoff steering the talks that involved discussion with the Iranians and Qatar, as well as with Netanyahu, with Trump directly involved, with Trump at one point, according to sources, telling Bibi, "this is over!"

Vice President JD Vance said soon after Mr. Trump’s initial post that the war appeared to be “effectively over” and that there was now an opportunity to “restart a real peace process.”

Ceasefire Confirmed Amid Questions About Iran’s Capabilities

There was the usual Trump exuberance in his initial 6:15 pm EDT post:

“CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE! It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE (in approximately 6 hours from now, when Israel and Iran have wound down and completed their in progress, final missions!), for 12 hours, at which point the War will be considered, ENDED!” Trump wrote. “Officially, Iran will start the CEASEFIRE and, upon the 12th Hour, Israel will start the CEASEFIRE and, upon the 24th Hour, an Official END to THE 12 DAY WAR will be saluted by the World. During each CEASEFIRE, the other side will remain PEACEFUL and RESPECTFUL.”

Trump added: “On the assumption that everything works as it should, which it will, I would like to congratulate both Countries, Israel and Iran, on having the Stamina, Courage, and Intelligence to end, what should be called, ‘THE 12 DAY WAR.’ This is a War that could have gone on for years, and destroyed the entire Middle East, but it didn’t, and never will!”

Trump had said that the cease-fire would start at around 4:00 am, local time and it would appear that it did. Iranian state television confirmed the cease-fire, as did Foreign Minister Araghchi, who said Iranian forces had right up to the end, confirming deadly missile attacks launched against Israeli targets.

While both Trump and Netanyahu claimed the effective destruction of Iran's nuclear weapons program, other sources say that remains to be seen. Iran had said that it had evacuated key equipment to other unknown sites before the first Israeli strikes on June 13.

Toward Negotiations and a Shift in Regional Power

With the war halted, these sources say, they expect a marathon round of direct negotiations between the United States and Iran to hammer out the final terms of a nuclear deal. These sources say Witkoff already had a deal in place prior to the US attacks, but that it was shot down by the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. While the war apparently strengthened the Ayatollah's support in an uneasy population, it is clear that he would not have the power to veto a plan agreed to, with Russian backing, by the government. Such a plan, that would have the Russians handling the enrichment issue, providing Iran with non-nuclear weapons grade uranium and with a defined timeline for sanctions relief could be agreed to very quickly, once negotiations restart.

If that happens, said a source with decades of experience in the region, then all of Bibi's plans for a forever war against Iran, his crusade against evil, are over. And this might just be the final political blow to him as well. "If we can get Bibi out of there," said the source, "then peace is really possible."