CNN halts for breaking Donald Trump announcement – and it's not good news for President

CNN’s regular broadcast was halted to deliver some breaking news to viewers about the US-Iran conflict, which has been waging on since the end of February. The channel has confirmed that US President Donald Trump ceded the Strait of Hormuz to Iran, with host Erin Burnett confirming they will be charging a toll to every ship which passes through as part of the ceasefire agreement. This news is sure to be a blow to Donald Trump, who has been in a tug of war with Iran over the Strait during the conflict.

Burnett began as the breaking news barrier flashed across the screen: “Breaking news, Iran’s Foreign Minister has just responded to Trump’s ceasefire announcement, and I want to read part of it to you.” Confirming an agreement had been reached, Iran’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Abbas Araghchi wrote: “If attacks against Iran are halted, our Powerful Armed Forces will cease their defensive operations.”

He added: “For a period of two weeks, safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be possible via coordination with Iran’s Armed Forces and with due consideration of technical limitations.”

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council issued a separate lengthy statement, which the CNN host held up to the camera, suggesting the ceasefire could be extended beyond its initial two weeks if negotiations continue favourably.

After reading part of the statement, Burnett continued: “It sounds like in a translation acknowledgement of Iran saying they control the Strait of Hormuz.

Zachary Cohen, a senior reporter for CNN, entered the conversation, telling viewers: “The piece of this about the Strait of Hormuz really is the most important thing that jumps out immediately.”

He added: “It’s important for people to remember that the Strait of Hormuz was not controlled in a literal sense by Iran prior to those joint military strikes which kicked off these entire conflicts several weeks ago.

“Iran responded to the strikes by closing the Strait of Hormuz, and it appears this ceasefire is at least part of the legitimisation of Iran’s control of that key waterway.”

The update came hours after Trump posted an alarming message on Truth Social which read: “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will.”

The US leader also said the deadline would signal “one of the most important moments in the long and complex history of the world”.