US Mediators Working on a 45-Day Ceasefire Deal
The US, Iran, and a group of regional mediators are discussing terms for a 45-day ceasefire that could potentially lead to a total end to the war. This was reported by Axios, citing US, Israeli, and regional sources familiar with the negotiations.
Sources state that while a partial agreement within the next 48 hours is unlikely, this effort is seen as the last resort to stop a major escalation. Without a deal, large-scale strikes against Iranian civilian infrastructure are expected, to which Iran has threatened to respond by attacking energy and water facilities in Gulf nations.
Trump’s initial 10-day ultimatum to Iran was set to expire Monday night, but on Sunday, he extended it by an additional 20 hours. He announced on Truth Social that the new deadline is Tuesday at 8:00 PM (EST). In an interview with Axios, Trump mentioned that \"deep negotiations\" are underway. \"There’s a chance, but if they don’t make a deal, I’m going to blow everything up over there,\" he warned.
Negotiations are reportedly being facilitated by Pakistan, Egypt, and Turkey, as well as via text messages between Trump’s representative Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
The proposed two-stage deal includes:
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Phase One: A 45-day ceasefire during which negotiations for a permanent end to the war will take place.
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Phase Two: A final agreement to terminate the conflict.
Key issues such as the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the handling of Iran’s highly enriched uranium remain \"trump cards\" for Tehran. Iran is hesitant to surrender these assets for only a 45-day truce and seeks guarantees that the US and Israel will not resume attacks, avoiding a scenario similar to Gaza or Lebanon.
