Washington, Tehran, and mediators discuss a phased truce to achieve a ceasefire
Turkey, Egypt, and Pakistan are making efforts to bring Iran and the United States to the negotiating table in order to end the war.
Four well-informed American, Israeli, and Middle Eastern sources revealed, according to Axios, that the United States, Iran, and a group of regional mediators are discussing the terms of a possible 45-day ceasefire that could lead to a permanent end to the war amid an unprecedented escalation. This comes after U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed that the deadline granted to Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz expires on Tuesday, before strikes targeting infrastructure such as bridges and energy sites.
The report indicates that mediators are considering a two-phase agreement. The first phase would involve a potential 45-day ceasefire during which negotiations for a permanent end to the war would take place.
According to the report, the second phase would be a formal agreement to end the war, with the possibility of extending the ceasefire if additional time is needed for negotiations.
For its part, the American newspaper The Wall Street Journal reported that Turkey, Egypt, and Pakistan are working to bring Iran and the United States to the negotiating table to end the war or reach a ceasefire.
According to a report published Sunday by the newspaper, citing sources familiar with the matter, mediators from Turkey, Egypt, and Pakistan continue their efforts to achieve either an end to the war or a temporary truce.
The sources stated that the foreign ministers of the three countries held phone calls with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. President’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, but no tangible progress has been made.
They added that Turkey and Egypt are considering hosting potential negotiations in Istanbul or Doha, while noting that Qatar declined the mediator role proposed to it by the United States and some Middle Eastern countries.
Iranian officials, according to these sources, refused to make any concessions regarding their demands and rejected several proposals, including reopening the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for a temporary truce.
It was also reported that Iran considers U.S. demands to end the war unacceptable and refused to hold talks with American officials in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad.
President Donald Trump had told The Wall Street Journal on Sunday that the deadline he gave Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face strikes on vital infrastructure expires Tuesday evening.
Since February 28, Israel and the United States have been waging war against Iran, resulting in thousands of Iranian casualties, while Tehran has responded by launching missiles and drones toward Israel.
Iran has also targeted what it calls “American interests” in Arab countries, causing casualties and damage to civilian property, which has been condemned by the affected countries.
