World exhales — a little — as US, Iran agree to ceasefire

Iran hawks in the U.S. have already started to question whether the Trump administration is taking the right approach.

After nearly 40 days of war, President Donald Trump declared a two-week ceasefire with Iran on Tuesday. | Atta Kenare/AFP via Getty Images

A world impatient for a come-down from President Donald Trump’s apocalyptic bluster breathed a sigh of relief Tuesday as the U.S. and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire, tempered with worry that the deal could bring new risks.

“Better TACO Tuesday than World War III,” said one European official, nodding to Trump backing off his threats to wipe out Iran’s civilization if it didn’t open the Strait of Hormuz. The official, who was not authorized to speak publicly, hoped the pause could allow for an eventual negotiated end to the war.

The announcement fell in the middle of the night in Europe and the Middle East and many U.S. allies were slow to make public statements about it. But the dramatic pause sparked some governments to issue immediate public praise.

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