Countries in the region welcome the temporary ceasefire and urge negotiations for a permanent end to the war.
Published on 8 April 2026
Iran and the United States have agreed to a two-week ceasefire and to allow safe transit through the Strait of Hormuz.
As the war entered its 40th day, the warring sides agreed to suspend attacks, with hopes now pinned on a peace deal through talks starting on Friday in Pakistan.
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The cease-fire early Wednesday came after US President Donald Trump said he would halt attacks provided Tehran agreed to fully reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz, through which 20 percent of global oil flows.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry said safe passage through the vital waterway would be possible for a period of two weeks through coordination with the country’s armed forces.
Meanwhile, celebrations followed across Iran and many world leaders welcomed the development.
The week-long fighting engulfed almost the entire Middle East. Iran launched retaliatory attacks by claiming to target US assets in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Gulf countries alleged that the Iranian attacks also targeted civilian infrastructure.
Lebanon also joined the war after Tehran-aligned Hezbollah launched attacks on Israel on March 2. Israel has supported a two-week ceasefire with Iran but said it does not include Lebanon, while Pakistan first announced the ceasefire.
Against this backdrop, here is how the Gulf and Arab countries are reacting to the ceasefire announcement:
saudi arabia
The state’s foreign ministry said it “welcomes” the ceasefire announcement. It urged an end to attacks on countries in the region and said the Strait of Hormuz should be opened.
Saudi Arabia also hopes the ceasefire will “lead to comprehensive lasting peace”, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
oman
Oman’s Foreign Ministry, in a statement published on Twitter, said it welcomed the announcement of the ceasefire between Iran and the US and appreciated “the efforts of Pakistan and all parties calling for an end to the war”.
“We reaffirm the importance of intensifying efforts to find solutions that can root out the crisis and permanently end the state of war and hostilities in the region,” the ministry said.
Iraq
Iraq’s Foreign Ministry said it “welcomes” the ceasefire but called for “serious and sustainable dialogue” between the US and Iran.
The ministry “called for building on this positive step by launching a serious and sustainable dialogue track that addresses the root causes of the disputes and strengthens mutual trust,” it said on the issue.
Iraq has also joined the US-Israeli war over Iran, with Tehran-backed armed groups and US forces firing back in an escalating cycle of violence.
egypt
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said the ceasefire “represents a very important opportunity that must be seized to create space for dialogue, diplomacy and constructive dialogue”.
The ministry said in a statement on Facebook that a ceasefire should be created with a full commitment to “cease military operations and respect freedom of international navigation”.
The post also said Egypt would continue efforts with Pakistan and Turkiye “to promote security and stability in the region”, and that talks between the US and Iran “should take into account the legitimate security concerns” of the Gulf countries.
