Washington, Tehran weigh 45-day ceasefire as mediation intensifies
Shafaq News- Washington/ Tehran
The United States, Iran, and regional mediators are discussing a proposed 45-day ceasefire as a first step toward ending the war, according to Axios, citing US, Israeli, and regional sources familiar with the talks.
The proposal outlines a two-phase framework, starting with a temporary 45-day ceasefire during which negotiations would continue toward a “permanent” settlement, with the option to extend the truce if needed, followed by a second phase aimed at formalizing a comprehensive agreement to end the war.
Diplomatic efforts are being conducted through mediators from Pakistan, Egypt, and Turkiye, alongside indirect exchanges between US Envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, while a US official indicated that Washington has presented several proposals in recent days that Tehran has yet to accept.
Sources described the initiative as the “only chance” to prevent a sharp escalation, cautioning that failure could trigger strikes on Iranian civilian infrastructure and retaliatory attacks targeting energy and water facilities in Gulf states, while the prospects of reaching even a partial agreement within the next 48 hours remain low.
US President Donald Trump had extended his deadline for Iran by 20 hours, setting a new cutoff at Tuesday 8 p.m. ET after an earlier 10-day ultimatum, warning he could target infrastructure vital to civilians if no agreement is reached, while Iran has threatened to respond with attacks on infrastructure in Israel and Gulf countries.
According to Iranian media, Tehran has linked any ceasefire or return to negotiations to a set of conditions, including ending all attacks and targeted killings, securing binding guarantees against renewed conflict, establishing an enforceable mechanism for financial compensation, reaching a comprehensive regional settlement that includes allied factions, and formally recognizing Iran’s sovereign rights over the Strait of Hormuz.
Mediators assess that reopening the strategic waterway —whose conditions Iran has said will “never return” to their pre-war state, particularly for the United States and Israel— and resolving Iran’s highly enriched uranium, either through removal or dilution, would likely be addressed only within a final agreement.
