Iran fires missiles until last minute before Trump's ceasefire begins, asks Israel to stop the war first

WASHINGTON, DC: On June 24, President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that a ceasefire between Israel and Iran was now in effect, despite missile barrages still flying at the time, and many are now questioning whether Iran even received the memo.

“THE CEASEFIRE IS NOW IN EFFECT. PLEASE DO NOT VIOLATE IT!” Trump posted on Truth Social, after claiming a “Complete and Total CEASEFIRE” had been locked in between the two rival nations.

But just hours after Trump’s all-caps proclamation, Israel’s military reported that at least six people were killed in fresh Iranian attacks early on June 24. The Israel Defense Forces said multiple missile barrages were launched from Iran toward Israel, with explosions reported near Tel Aviv and Beersheba.

At least eight others were injured in the blasts, in what hardly resembled a ceasefire, The New Daily reported.

Iran refutes the ceasefire agreement

While Donald Trump attempted to play peacemaker, Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi took to X to share his own version of events.

“Israel launched war on Iran, not the other way around,” Araghchi wrote. “As of now, there is NO ‘agreement’ on any ceasefire or cessation of military operations,” he added, responding to Trump’s proclamation.

But then came a glimmer of hope. “However, provided that the Israeli regime stops its illegal aggression against the Iranian people no later than 4 am Tehran time, we have no intention to continue our response afterward,” he wrote.

Just minutes later, Araghchi confirmed that Iran had continued firing until the very last moment. 

“The military operations of our powerful Armed Forces to punish Israel for its aggression continued until the very last minute, at 4 am,” he wrote. “Together with all Iranians, I thank our brave Armed Forces who remain ready to defend our dear country until their last drop of blood, and who responded to any attack by the enemy until the very last minute.”

Donald Trump hails ‘The 12 Day War’ as over, but Iran calls ceasefire claims deceptive

Donald Trump appeared confident that the supposed peace talks would hold. 

“It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE … for 12 hours, at which point the War will be considered ENDED!” he previously announced on Truth Social.

“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’.”

But Iran wasn’t on board. A senior Iranian official told CNN that Tehran never received “any ceasefire proposal” following Trump’s surprise announcement. The official accused both Israel and the US of pulling a bait-and-switch.

“Iran would continue to fight until it achieves lasting peace,” the source said, adding it “would view remarks from Israel” and the US as “deception.”

The official added, “At this very moment, the enemy is committing aggression against Iran, and Iran is on the verge of intensifying its retaliatory strikes, with no ear to listen to the lies of its enemies."

Qatar and US emerge as key mediators amid escalating Israel-Iran conflict

According to a US official briefed on the negotiations, the ceasefire was brokered by Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who reportedly helped bring Tehran on board with the proposal. Trump himself is said to have informed Qatar’s Emir that Israel had agreed to the plan, although Israel had yet to issue any official comment as of June 24.

Just hours before the escalation, three Israeli officials indicated they were winding down operations in Iran and told the US they were nearly finished. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu even said on June 22 that the country was “very, very close to completing” its goals, though he did not elaborate.

Meanwhile, a senior Iranian official confirmed to Reuters that Iran had accepted the US-proposed ceasefire.

This development followed a chaotic weekend that included an Iranian missile barrage on the US Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, an attack Iran described as “devastating and powerful.”

Trump, however, downplayed the strike, thanking Iran for providing a warning. “No lives [were] lost,” he said, crediting Tehran for alerting US forces ahead of the impact.

That came in response to a far riskier move by the US military, which dropped bunker-buster bombs on Iranian nuclear facilities in Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan — all in support of Israel’s offensive.

In response, Iran threatened direct retaliation against the United States.

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