Trump agrees to 2-week ceasefire with Iran, delaying threat of large-scale bombing campaign
President Trump said Tuesday he has agreed to a “double sided CEASEFIRE” with Iran, less than two hours before his deadline for Iran to either cut a deal with the U.S. or face massive strikes on its power plants.
“I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks,” the president wrote on Truth Social.
He said the ceasefire, which he agreed to at Pakistan’s request, was “subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi confirmed that Iran had agreed to halt “defensive operations,” likely referring to its drone and missile stikes on U.S. allies in the region, if the U.S. stops attacking Iran. Araghchi also said Iran’s armed forces will coordinate to allow for “safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.”
Oil futures plummeted on the news of a ceasefire, with the U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate falling more than 13% to below $92 a barrel in the hour after Mr. Trump’s announcement. The price of oil has rocketed since the war began to highs not seen in years, as shipments are largely cut off through the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint that normally carries one-fifth of the world’s oil. Prices still remained above pre-war levels on Tuesday.
The two-week ceasefire followed a frenzied diplomatic effort by the U.S., Iran and third-party mediators like Pakistan to avoid a major escalation in the war. Over the weekend, Mr. Trump demanded that Iran strike an “acceptable” deal and reopen the Strait of Hormuz by Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET. If Iran did not comply, the president vowed to destroy the country’s power plants and bridges.
His threats have grown more sharp-edged in recent days. Earlier Tuesday, he wrote on Truth Social: “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again.”
The U.S. and Iran have not appeared to strike a formal long-term deal. But Mr. Trump wrote in his message announcing the ceasefire that the U.S. is “very far along” in striking a “definitive Agreement concerning Longterm PEACE with Iran.”
The president said Iran sent the U.S. a 10-point peace plan that is a “workable basis on which to negotiate.” A day earlier, Iran rejected a 15-point proposal offered by American negotiators.
“Almost all of the various points of past contention have been agreed to between the United States and Iran, but a two week period will allow the Agreement to be finalized and consummated,” Mr. Trump wrote.
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said negotiations between the two sides will begin in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad on Friday and last two weeks, with “complete distrust toward the American side.” Iran said that if a deal isn’t struck, “we will continue to fight side by side on the battlefield until all the demands of the Iranian people are achieved.”
Major gaps between the two sides appear to linger. In its statement, Iran said the 10-point plan calls for the U.S. to withdraw forces from all bases in the region, fully compensate Iran, lift all sanctions and grant Iran’s armed forces control over the Strait of Hormuz. It also calls for an end to hostilities against the “Axis of Resistance,” Iran’s term for regional proxy groups like Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis, many of which the U.S. regards as terrorist organizations.
It’s not clear whether Mr. Trump would accept many of those demands, which would mark a significant change to the U.S.’s strategy in the Middle East. The president appeared to reject the idea of allowing Iran to control the Strait of Hormuz and collect tolls from ships that sail through on Monday, telling reporters that, if anything, the U.S. should take in tolls.
#Trump #agrees #2week #ceasefire #Iran #delaying #threat #largescale #bombing #campaignIran
President Trump said Tuesday he has agreed to a “double sided CEASEFIRE” with Iran, less than two hours before his deadline for Iran to either cut a deal with the U.S. or face massive strikes on its power plants.
“I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks,” the president wrote on Truth Social.
He said the ceasefire, which he agreed to at Pakistan’s request, was “subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi confirmed that Iran had agreed to halt “defensive operations,” likely referring to its drone and missile stikes on U.S. allies in the region, if the U.S. stops attacking Iran. Araghchi also said Iran’s armed forces will coordinate to allow for “safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.”
Oil futures plummeted on the news of a ceasefire, with the U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate falling more than 13% to below $92 a barrel in the hour after Mr. Trump’s announcement. The price of oil has rocketed since the war began to highs not seen in years, as shipments are largely cut off through the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint that normally carries one-fifth of the world’s oil. Prices still remained above pre-war levels on Tuesday.
The two-week ceasefire followed a frenzied diplomatic effort by the U.S., Iran and third-party mediators like Pakistan to avoid a major escalation in the war. Over the weekend, Mr. Trump demanded that Iran strike an “acceptable” deal and reopen the Strait of Hormuz by Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET. If Iran did not comply, the president vowed to destroy the country’s power plants and bridges.
His threats have grown more sharp-edged in recent days. Earlier Tuesday, he wrote on Truth Social: “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again.”
The U.S. and Iran have not appeared to strike a formal long-term deal. But Mr. Trump wrote in his message announcing the ceasefire that the U.S. is “very far along” in striking a “definitive Agreement concerning Longterm PEACE with Iran.”
The president said Iran sent the U.S. a 10-point peace plan that is a “workable basis on which to negotiate.” A day earlier, Iran rejected a 15-point proposal offered by American negotiators.
“Almost all of the various points of past contention have been agreed to between the United States and Iran, but a two week period will allow the Agreement to be finalized and consummated,” Mr. Trump wrote.
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said negotiations between the two sides will begin in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad on Friday and last two weeks, with “complete distrust toward the American side.” Iran said that if a deal isn’t struck, “we will continue to fight side by side on the battlefield until all the demands of the Iranian people are achieved.”
Major gaps between the two sides appear to linger. In its statement, Iran said the 10-point plan calls for the U.S. to withdraw forces from all bases in the region, fully compensate Iran, lift all sanctions and grant Iran’s armed forces control over the Strait of Hormuz. It also calls for an end to hostilities against the “Axis of Resistance,” Iran’s term for regional proxy groups like Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis, many of which the U.S. regards as terrorist organizations.
It’s not clear whether Mr. Trump would accept many of those demands, which would mark a significant change to the U.S.’s strategy in the Middle East. The president appeared to reject the idea of allowing Iran to control the Strait of Hormuz and collect tolls from ships that sail through on Monday, telling reporters that, if anything, the U.S. should take in tolls.
![Iran war: Trump announces two-week ceasefireSkip next section White House calls ceasefire a ‘victory’; Iran calls it ‘humiliating’ for Trump04/08/2026April 8, 2026White House calls ceasefire a ‘victory’; Iran calls it ‘humiliating’ for TrumpWhite House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Tuesday described the two-week ceasefire in the Iran war as a “victory” for the United States.
“This is a victory for the United States that President Trump and our incredible military made happen,” she wrote on social media.
“The success of our military created maximum leverage, allowing President Trump and the team to engage in tough negotiations that have now created an opening for a diplomatic solution and long-term peace.”
Earlier, Iranian state media claimed that Trump had “accepted Iran‘s conditions to end the war” and beaten a “humiliating retreat from anti-Iran rhetoric.”
https://p.dw.com/p/5BpPzSkip next section Iraq: Armed group releases US journalist04/08/2026April 8, 2026Iraq: Armed group releases US journalistA US journalist kidnapped by an Iran-backed militia in Baghdad, Iraq, was released late on Tuesday after a week in captivity, both the United States and the militia group have confirmed.
“In recognition of the national stances of the outgoing prime minister, we have decided to release the American defendant Shelly Kittleson, on the condition that she leave the country immediately,” said Abu Mujahid al-Assaf, a security official in Kataeb Hezbollah group, referring to outgoing Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani.
He added that such moves would “not be repeated again in the coming days, as we are in a state of war launched by the Zionist-American enemy against Islam,” referring to the US-Israeli strikes on Iran over the past month, just two hours before a ceasefire was announced.
“We are relieved that this American is now free and are working to support her safe departure from Iraq,” said US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a statement.
Based in Rome, Kittleson, 49, has reported extensively from the Middle East as a freelance journalist.
US officials said they had warned her of threats against her several times after she returned to Iraq shortly before her abduction, but that she had not wanted to leave.
https://p.dw.com/p/5BpPkSkip next section Pakistan confirms ‘immediate ceasefire … effective immediately’04/08/2026April 8, 2026Pakistan confirms ‘immediate ceasefire … effective immediately’The prime minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif, said early on Wednesday that the United States and Iran, and both countries’ allies, had agreed to an “immediate ceasefire … effective immediately.”
He said the ceasefire, negotiated with Pakistani mediation, also included Lebanon and Israel — despite the Lebanese Health Ministry saying on Wednesday that eight people had been killed in an Israeli strike in the southern city of Sidon.
Sharif confirmed that, as reported, he has invited US and Iranian delegations to Islamabad on Friday to “further negotiate for a conclusive agreement to settle all disputes.”
He praised both parties for their “remarkable wisdom and understanding” and for remaining “constructively engaged in furthering the cause of peace and stability.”
https://p.dw.com/p/5BpNkSkip next section UAE: Missile alerts despite reported US-Iran ceasefire04/08/2026April 8, 2026UAE: Missile alerts despite reported US-Iran ceasefireMissile alerts sounded in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) early on Wednesday about an hour after the United States, Israel and Iran announced an agreement on a two-week ceasefire.
The UAE said its air defense systems were “engaging with missle and drone threats from Iran.”
Earlier, Israel also said it had detected an incoming barrage of Iranian missiles (see below).
The New York Times quoted an unnamed US official as saying that American offensive military strikes against Iran had stopped in accordance with the agreement, but another official told the Associated Press (AP) that defensive actions were continuing.
https://p.dw.com/p/5BpNeSkip next section US-Iran talks to take place in Pakistan on Friday 04/08/2026April 8, 2026US-Iran talks to take place in Pakistan on Friday A first round of negotiations between the United States and Iran will take place on Friday in Islamabad, Pakistan, according to Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, which nevertheless “emphasized that this does not signify the termination of the war.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran would halt its attacks on neighboring US-allied countries if attacks against it stop, and insisted on Iranian military coordination of transit through the Strait of Hormuz.
The Supreme Security Council reportedly added: “Our fingers are on the trigger. As soon as the enemy makes the slightest mistake, it will be answered with full force.”
https://p.dw.com/p/5BpNcSkip next section Iran, Israel also accept ceasefire – reports04/08/2026April 8, 2026Iran, Israel also accept ceasefire – reportsIran and Israel have also accepted a proposal made by Pakistan for a two-week ceasefire, according to reports in the United States, Israel and Iran.
The New York Times has quoted Iranian officials who claim the ceasefire was approved by the country’s new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei.
In Iran, state media claim that US President Trump has “accepted Iran’s conditions to end the war” and describe a “humiliating retreat from anti-Iran rhetoric.”
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council says it has accepted a two-week ceasefire in the war, according to a report from the Associated Press.
Meanwhile, US broadcaster CNN has cited a senior White House official as saying: “Israel has agreed to also suspend its bombing campaign while negotiations continue.”
In Israel itself, public broadcaster Kan also reports that Israel is “committed” to a ceasefire.
https://p.dw.com/p/5BpNWSkip next section Israel reports missiles fired by Iran as Trump announces ceasefire04/08/2026April 8, 2026Israel reports missiles fired by Iran as Trump announces ceasefireThe Israeli military said early on Wednesday morning that Iran had launched missiles towards Israel, just moments after US President Donald Trump announced he had agreed to postpone a devastating attack on Iranian infrastructure by two weeks.
“[We] identified missiles launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel,” the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) wrote on its official Telegram channel. “Defensive systems are operating to intercept the threat.”
https://p.dw.com/p/5BpI2Skip next section Trump to suspend US attacks on Iran for two weeks subject to Strait of Hormuz opening04/08/2026April 8, 2026Trump to suspend US attacks on Iran for two weeks subject to Strait of Hormuz openingUS President Donald Trump agreed to suspend attacks on Iran for two weeks, subject to Tehran reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
The announcement came less than two hours before a deadline he set that he claimed would have seen the death of “a whole civilization.”
In a message on social media, Trump wrote that, following conversations with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, he “[agreed] to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks.”
He said this was “subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz.”
He added that Iran had submitted a ten-point proposal that he said he believes is “a workable basis on which to negotiate.”
He claimed that agreement had already been reached on “almost all of the various points of past contention,” but didn’t elaborate.
https://p.dw.com/p/5BpDvSkip next section Welcome to our coverage04/08/2026April 8, 2026Welcome to our coverageHello and welcome to our coverage of the continuing conflict in Iran and the Middle East on Wednesday, April 8.
US President Donald Trump has announced a two-week ceasefire after receiving a 10-point proposal from Iran.
Trump had earlier set a deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz after which he had threatened massive strikes on the country.
You can catch up with developments related to the war in the Middle East here.
https://p.dw.com/p/5BpDw#Iran #war #Trump #announces #twoweek #ceasefire](https://i1.wp.com/static.dw.com/image/76685765_6.jpg?ssl=1 "Iran war: Trump announces two-week ceasefireSkip next section White House calls ceasefire a ‘victory’; Iran calls it ‘humiliating’ for Trump04/08/2026April 8, 2026White House calls ceasefire a ‘victory’; Iran calls it ‘humiliating’ for TrumpWhite House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Tuesday described the two-week ceasefire in the Iran war as a “victory” for the United States.
“This is a victory for the United States that President Trump and our incredible military made happen,” she wrote on social media.
“The success of our military created maximum leverage, allowing President Trump and the team to engage in tough negotiations that have now created an opening for a diplomatic solution and long-term peace.”
Earlier, Iranian state media claimed that Trump had “accepted Iran‘s conditions to end the war” and beaten a “humiliating retreat from anti-Iran rhetoric.”
https://p.dw.com/p/5BpPzSkip next section Iraq: Armed group releases US journalist04/08/2026April 8, 2026Iraq: Armed group releases US journalistA US journalist kidnapped by an Iran-backed militia in Baghdad, Iraq, was released late on Tuesday after a week in captivity, both the United States and the militia group have confirmed.
“In recognition of the national stances of the outgoing prime minister, we have decided to release the American defendant Shelly Kittleson, on the condition that she leave the country immediately,” said Abu Mujahid al-Assaf, a security official in Kataeb Hezbollah group, referring to outgoing Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani.
He added that such moves would “not be repeated again in the coming days, as we are in a state of war launched by the Zionist-American enemy against Islam,” referring to the US-Israeli strikes on Iran over the past month, just two hours before a ceasefire was announced.
“We are relieved that this American is now free and are working to support her safe departure from Iraq,” said US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a statement.
Based in Rome, Kittleson, 49, has reported extensively from the Middle East as a freelance journalist.
US officials said they had warned her of threats against her several times after she returned to Iraq shortly before her abduction, but that she had not wanted to leave.
https://p.dw.com/p/5BpPkSkip next section Pakistan confirms ‘immediate ceasefire … effective immediately’04/08/2026April 8, 2026Pakistan confirms ‘immediate ceasefire … effective immediately’The prime minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif, said early on Wednesday that the United States and Iran, and both countries’ allies, had agreed to an “immediate ceasefire … effective immediately.”
He said the ceasefire, negotiated with Pakistani mediation, also included Lebanon and Israel — despite the Lebanese Health Ministry saying on Wednesday that eight people had been killed in an Israeli strike in the southern city of Sidon.
Sharif confirmed that, as reported, he has invited US and Iranian delegations to Islamabad on Friday to “further negotiate for a conclusive agreement to settle all disputes.”
He praised both parties for their “remarkable wisdom and understanding” and for remaining “constructively engaged in furthering the cause of peace and stability.”
https://p.dw.com/p/5BpNkSkip next section UAE: Missile alerts despite reported US-Iran ceasefire04/08/2026April 8, 2026UAE: Missile alerts despite reported US-Iran ceasefireMissile alerts sounded in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) early on Wednesday about an hour after the United States, Israel and Iran announced an agreement on a two-week ceasefire.
The UAE said its air defense systems were “engaging with missle and drone threats from Iran.”
Earlier, Israel also said it had detected an incoming barrage of Iranian missiles (see below).
The New York Times quoted an unnamed US official as saying that American offensive military strikes against Iran had stopped in accordance with the agreement, but another official told the Associated Press (AP) that defensive actions were continuing.
https://p.dw.com/p/5BpNeSkip next section US-Iran talks to take place in Pakistan on Friday 04/08/2026April 8, 2026US-Iran talks to take place in Pakistan on Friday A first round of negotiations between the United States and Iran will take place on Friday in Islamabad, Pakistan, according to Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, which nevertheless “emphasized that this does not signify the termination of the war.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran would halt its attacks on neighboring US-allied countries if attacks against it stop, and insisted on Iranian military coordination of transit through the Strait of Hormuz.
The Supreme Security Council reportedly added: “Our fingers are on the trigger. As soon as the enemy makes the slightest mistake, it will be answered with full force.”
https://p.dw.com/p/5BpNcSkip next section Iran, Israel also accept ceasefire – reports04/08/2026April 8, 2026Iran, Israel also accept ceasefire – reportsIran and Israel have also accepted a proposal made by Pakistan for a two-week ceasefire, according to reports in the United States, Israel and Iran.
The New York Times has quoted Iranian officials who claim the ceasefire was approved by the country’s new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei.
In Iran, state media claim that US President Trump has “accepted Iran’s conditions to end the war” and describe a “humiliating retreat from anti-Iran rhetoric.”
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council says it has accepted a two-week ceasefire in the war, according to a report from the Associated Press.
Meanwhile, US broadcaster CNN has cited a senior White House official as saying: “Israel has agreed to also suspend its bombing campaign while negotiations continue.”
In Israel itself, public broadcaster Kan also reports that Israel is “committed” to a ceasefire.
https://p.dw.com/p/5BpNWSkip next section Israel reports missiles fired by Iran as Trump announces ceasefire04/08/2026April 8, 2026Israel reports missiles fired by Iran as Trump announces ceasefireThe Israeli military said early on Wednesday morning that Iran had launched missiles towards Israel, just moments after US President Donald Trump announced he had agreed to postpone a devastating attack on Iranian infrastructure by two weeks.
“[We] identified missiles launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel,” the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) wrote on its official Telegram channel. “Defensive systems are operating to intercept the threat.”
https://p.dw.com/p/5BpI2Skip next section Trump to suspend US attacks on Iran for two weeks subject to Strait of Hormuz opening04/08/2026April 8, 2026Trump to suspend US attacks on Iran for two weeks subject to Strait of Hormuz openingUS President Donald Trump agreed to suspend attacks on Iran for two weeks, subject to Tehran reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
The announcement came less than two hours before a deadline he set that he claimed would have seen the death of “a whole civilization.”
In a message on social media, Trump wrote that, following conversations with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, he “[agreed] to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks.”
He said this was “subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz.”
He added that Iran had submitted a ten-point proposal that he said he believes is “a workable basis on which to negotiate.”
He claimed that agreement had already been reached on “almost all of the various points of past contention,” but didn’t elaborate.
https://p.dw.com/p/5BpDvSkip next section Welcome to our coverage04/08/2026April 8, 2026Welcome to our coverageHello and welcome to our coverage of the continuing conflict in Iran and the Middle East on Wednesday, April 8.
US President Donald Trump has announced a two-week ceasefire after receiving a 10-point proposal from Iran.
Trump had earlier set a deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz after which he had threatened massive strikes on the country.
You can catch up with developments related to the war in the Middle East here.
https://p.dw.com/p/5BpDw#Iran #war #Trump #announces #twoweek #ceasefire")
![‘Stick together’: Vinicius hails Yamal for condemning anti-Muslim chants‘If we keep fighting together, future players won’t have to go through this again,’ the Real Madrid player said.Published On 7 Apr 20267 Apr 2026Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior has praised Barcelona player Lamine Yamal for publicly condemning anti-Muslim chants in a recent match, saying players need to stick together in the fight against discrimination.Vinicius spoke on Monday, less than a week after Yamal criticised the chants by Spanish fans in Spain’s friendly against Egypt last Tuesday. Yamal, who is Muslim, said the chants were disrespectful and intolerable.Vinicius, a Brazil international, has often been subjected to racist taunts while playing in Europe and is vocal about the fight against racism. He said “it’s always complicated” to talk about the subject but “these things happen a lot.“Hopefully we can continue with this fight,” he said.“It’s important that Lamine speaks about it. It could help others. We are famous, we have money, we can balance these things better, but the poor people and the Black people who are everywhere, they surely struggle more than we do. So we have to stick together, those who have a stronger voice, the players…”FC Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal and Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior play for Spanish football rivals [File: Reuters]Vinicius accused Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni of calling him a monkey after the Brazil forward celebrated in front of the home fans when he scored for Madrid in a Champions League match last month in Lisbon. Benfica fans insulted Vinicius from the stands.“I’m not saying that Spain or Germany or Portugal are racist countries, but there are racists in these countries, and in Brazil and other countries as well,” Vinicius said. “But if we keep fighting together, I think future players and people in general won’t have to go through this again.”Vinicius spoke on the eve of the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinal between Madrid and Bayern Munich at the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid.Last week, Yamal, who is Muslim, slammed the “intolerable” chants at the RCDE Stadium near Barcelona, the home ground of La Liga club Espanyol.“[The chanting] was aimed at the opposing team and was not something personal against me, but as a Muslim it is still a lack of respect and something intolerable,” Yamal wrote on Instagram.“To those who sing these things: using a religion as a form of mockery on a pitch shows you up as ignorant and racist.”Yamal, whose father moved from Morocco to Spain, came down hard on the fans.“I know I was playing for the rival team and it wasn’t something personal against me but as a Muslim person it doesn’t stop being disrespectful and something intolerable.“I am a Muslim. Yesterday at the stadium the chant ‘the one who doesn’t jump is the Muslim’ was heard.”#Stick #Vinicius #hails #Yamal #condemning #antiMuslim #chantsNews, Sport, Football, Islamophobia, Racism, Europe, Spain](https://i2.wp.com/www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/AFP__20260406__A6V28Z2__v1__HighRes__FblEurC1RealMadridPresser-1775556277.jpg?resize=1920%2C1440&ssl=1 "‘Stick together’: Vinicius hails Yamal for condemning anti-Muslim chants‘If we keep fighting together, future players won’t have to go through this again,’ the Real Madrid player said.Published On 7 Apr 20267 Apr 2026Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior has praised Barcelona player Lamine Yamal for publicly condemning anti-Muslim chants in a recent match, saying players need to stick together in the fight against discrimination.Vinicius spoke on Monday, less than a week after Yamal criticised the chants by Spanish fans in Spain’s friendly against Egypt last Tuesday. Yamal, who is Muslim, said the chants were disrespectful and intolerable.Vinicius, a Brazil international, has often been subjected to racist taunts while playing in Europe and is vocal about the fight against racism. He said “it’s always complicated” to talk about the subject but “these things happen a lot.“Hopefully we can continue with this fight,” he said.“It’s important that Lamine speaks about it. It could help others. We are famous, we have money, we can balance these things better, but the poor people and the Black people who are everywhere, they surely struggle more than we do. So we have to stick together, those who have a stronger voice, the players…”FC Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal and Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior play for Spanish football rivals [File: Reuters]Vinicius accused Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni of calling him a monkey after the Brazil forward celebrated in front of the home fans when he scored for Madrid in a Champions League match last month in Lisbon. Benfica fans insulted Vinicius from the stands.“I’m not saying that Spain or Germany or Portugal are racist countries, but there are racists in these countries, and in Brazil and other countries as well,” Vinicius said. “But if we keep fighting together, I think future players and people in general won’t have to go through this again.”Vinicius spoke on the eve of the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinal between Madrid and Bayern Munich at the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid.Last week, Yamal, who is Muslim, slammed the “intolerable” chants at the RCDE Stadium near Barcelona, the home ground of La Liga club Espanyol.“[The chanting] was aimed at the opposing team and was not something personal against me, but as a Muslim it is still a lack of respect and something intolerable,” Yamal wrote on Instagram.“To those who sing these things: using a religion as a form of mockery on a pitch shows you up as ignorant and racist.”Yamal, whose father moved from Morocco to Spain, came down hard on the fans.“I know I was playing for the rival team and it wasn’t something personal against me but as a Muslim person it doesn’t stop being disrespectful and something intolerable.“I am a Muslim. Yesterday at the stadium the chant ‘the one who doesn’t jump is the Muslim’ was heard.”#Stick #Vinicius #hails #Yamal #condemning #antiMuslim #chantsNews, Sport, Football, Islamophobia, Racism, Europe, Spain")
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