US President Donald Trump went from warning about the demise of a “whole civilisation” to announcing a “big day for world peace” in a matter of hours.

It was not the first time he has used his Truth Social platform to make alarming statements during the course of the Iran war. He has used expletives and threats, often through conflicting messages over whether the conflict is escalating or winding down.

Provocative language and dramatic effect have played a big role in the media battle, even as a fragile two-week ceasefire comes into effect. But it is not only words. The White House has shared Hollywood-style trailers promoting US military operations.

Not to be outdone, official Iranian social media accounts and officials have also relentlessly been sharing wartime propaganda of their own, including AI-generated Lego videos and cartoon memes mocking Mr Trump and other US officials. These have gone viral, as have fake images and news of the war.

In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher examines the high-tech propaganda and disinformation campaigns that have been conducted over the past six weeks – and explains how dangerously effective they have been.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned on Thursday that Iran's control of the Strait of Hormuz could lead down a “slippery slope” of imposing tolls and taxes over international waters, which she described as a “very dangerous development”.

In an interview with The National, she pushed back against US President Donald Trump's suggestion of a “joint venture” with Iran to handle transit at the strategic strait and said the blockade had become “everybody's problem”.

Iran and the US agreed on Wednesday to a two-week ceasefire after 40 days of war. Negotiations are set to begin in Pakistan this weekend to reach a comprehensive deal. However, Israel has continued its attacks on Lebanon, which Ms Kallas said should be included in the truce.

In this bonus episode of Beyond the Headlines, The National's foreign editor Ali Harisi sits down with Ms Kallas to discuss the prospects of the US-Iran ceasefire and the role the EU could play in diplomacy

In his address to the nation on Wednesday, President Donald Trump said the war with Iran was nearing its end and the US had decimated the country’s military capabilities.

But parts of his speech contradicted some of his earlier statements regarding the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and America’s interest in seizing Iranian oil. His words also stood in contrast to recent reports suggesting that the Pentagon was preparing for weeks of ground operations.

At the same time, US officials are saying talks with Tehran are going well, which Iran denies. Meanwhile, mediators including Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey are pushing for a return to negotiations. The question is whether the warring parties would be willing to make concessions at this stage of the conflict.

In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher looks at the different scenarios the US could consider next and whether a diplomatic solution is still within reach. We hear from James Jeffrey, distinguished fellow at the Washington Institute and a former US deputy national security adviser, and Alex Vatanka, director of the Iran programme at the Middle East Institute.