US President Donald Trump spoke to NBC News in an exclusive phone interview on Monday night, shortly after he announced on Truth Social that Israel and Iran had agreed to a ceasefire.
In the interview, Trump called the ceasefire “a wonderful day for the world, in my opinion.”
“It’s a great day for America. It’s a great day for the Middle East. I’m very happy to have been able to get the job done," he told NBC News. "A lot of people were dying, and it was only going to get worse. It would have brought the whole Middle East down."
Asked how long the ceasefire would be, Trump replied, “I think the ceasefire is unlimited. It’s going to go forever.”
Trump wrote earlier that Israel and Iran have agreed to a 12-hour ceasefire, starting at 7:00 a.m. Israel time on Tuesday morning.
He added that Iran will be the first to stop hostilities, beginning in six hours from, and Israel will do the same six hours later.
"This is a War that could have gone on for years, and destroyed the entire Middle East, but it didn’t, and never will! God bless Israel, God bless Iran, God bless the Middle East, God bless the United States of America, and GOD BLESS THE WORLD!" wrote the President.
Israel has yet to officially comment on Trump’s announcement. An Iranian official confirmed to Reuters that Iran has agreed to a ceasefire brokered by Qatar.