- 45-day ceasefire proposal under active discussion.
- Massive strikes plan remains ready, sources say.
- Iran maintains hardline stance after Trump’s threat.
Pakistan, along with other regional mediators, is engaged in intense diplomatic efforts to broker a potential 45-day ceasefire between Iran and the United States that could lead to a permanent end to the war, Axios reported, citing four US, Israeli and regional sources.
However, the sources cautioned that chances of reaching even a partial agreement within the next 48 hours remain slim, describing the current push as the only opportunity to avert a major escalation that could involve large-scale strikes on Iranian civilian infrastructure and retaliatory attacks on energy and water facilities in Gulf states, according to the report.
US President Donald Trump had earlier set a 10-day deadline for Iran, which was due to expire Monday evening. However, he told the Wall Street Journal on Sunday his deadline for Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz or face attacks on critical infrastructure is Tuesday evening.
“There is a good chance, but if they don’t make a deal, I am blowing up everything over there,” he said, reiterating threats to target infrastructure vital to Iranian civilians.
The US and Israel have pounded Iran with missiles and airstrikes for more than five weeks to destroy what they said was an imminent threat from the country’s nuclear weapon development programme, ballistic missile arsenal and support for regional proxy militias.
Tehran has effectively closed the Hormuz waterway, a conduit for around a fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas supply, and attacked US military bases and other targets around the Gulf.
Two sources told Axios that operational plans for a large-scale US-Israeli bombing campaign targeting Iran’s energy facilities are ready, but stressed the extension of Trump’s deadline was aimed at giving a last chance to reach a deal.
Four sources with knowledge of the diplomatic efforts said the negotiations are taking place through Pakistani, Egyptian and Turkish mediators and also through text messages sent between Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
Pakistan emerged as a key mediator in one of the region’s worst conflicts, which erupted after joint US-Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28.
According to a US official, Washington has presented several proposals to Tehran in recent days, but none have been accepted so far.
The sources said the mediators are discussing with the parties the terms for two-phased deal; the first phase would a potential 45-day ceasefire during which a permanent end to the war would be negotiated.
The ceasefire could be extended if more time were needed for talks, one of the sources said.
The second phase would be an agreement on ending the war, the report added.
The sources said mediators think that fully reopening the Strait of Hormuz and a solution for Iran’s highly enriched Uranium — either through its removal from the country or dilution — could only be a result of a final deal.
Mediators are also exploring confidence-building measures, including partial steps by Iran on Hormuz access and uranium, while seeking assurances from Washington that any ceasefire would not be temporary.
Iranian officials have conveyed concerns about entering a ceasefire arrangement similar to those in Gaza or Lebanon, where hostilities resumed despite formal agreements.
At the same time, mediators are working on potential US measures to address Iranian demands and build trust between the parties.
Officials involved in the talks warned that any US-Israeli strikes on Iran’s energy infrastructure could trigger a severe Iranian response targeting oil and water facilities across the Gulf region.
Mediators have stressed to Tehran that the next 48 hours represent a critical window to reach a deal and avoid widespread destruction.
Despite this, Iranian officials have maintained a hardline stance publicly, rejecting concessions. The Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps Navy also warned that conditions in the Strait of Hormuz would “never return” to pre-war norms, particularly for the United States and Israel.
The White House declined to comment on the ongoing negotiations.
