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| By The Free Press |
It’s Wednesday, April 8. This is The Front Page, your daily window into the world of The Free Press—and our take on the world at large. Today: Why coders are losing it. Why aging pundits are trying to impress the kids. Why the Strait of Hormuz is so essential. And much more.
But first: Is the war in Iran actually over?
President Donald Trump began Tuesday by saying a “whole civilization” would “die tonight, never to be brought back again.” He promised massive strikes against civilian infrastructure in Iran unless there was some sort of diplomatic breakthrough before his 8 p.m. deadline.
The world held its breath. And then, some 90 minutes before the attacks were set to begin, Trump announced that the U.S. had “received a 10-point proposal from Iran,” which he described as “a workable basis on which to negotiate.” Trump and Tehran agreed to a two-week ceasefire. And the president said the Strait of Hormuz, effectively blockaded by the Iranian regime since the start of the conflict, would reopen in some form in the meantime.
While it’s only a temporary truce, the announcement at least delayed the thunderous American attack Trump had threatened—which could have pummeled Iran’s long-suffering civilians. Some might see it as a cop-out, but as Eli Lake argues today, Trump has delivered a great victory for the U.S. Read the whole piece here.
However, it’s unclear whether the deal will last two weeks. Iran’s foreign minister stated that “safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be possible via coordination with Iran’s Armed Forces and with due consideration of technical limitations”—caveats with implications that aren’t immediately clear. Plus, Iranian missiles and drones continued to attack Israeli and Arab targets after the deal was announced.
As Aaron MacLean writes today: “If the ceasefire doesn’t lead down the path toward diplomacy, or surrender, or Trump simply losing heart and moving on, we will be back in the standoff that gripped the world on Tuesday.” Read the full piece here:
But how are everyday Iranians responding to the ceasefire? Veteran foreign correspondent Amy Kellogg was on the phone with a friend in Iran when the news broke—and he wasn’t thrilled by what he sees as a lifeline for the regime. “They will spend the next two weeks making missiles. More to shoot at the Gulf and everywhere else,” he said. As for the regime’s supporters: “They are already out in the streets celebrating.” Read Amy’s report full here:
It’s a new day in the Middle East. Now let’s see if it lasts.
—The Editors
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