Countries attempting to mediate an end to the conflict in Iran have drafted a last-ditch proposal for a 45-day ceasefire and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. The initiative emerges as US President Donald Trump threatens a dramatic escalation of military action, according to a source familiar with the negotiations.
Submitted to the United States and Iran late Sunday, the proposal seeks to avert massive strikes on Iranian power plants and critical infrastructure. Trump has explicitly threatened such attacks if the strategic shipping route remains blocked, appearing to set a firm Tuesday deadline at 8 p.m. ET for Tehran to reopen the strait.
A White House official confirmed that Trump has not endorsed the draft plan. "This is one of many ideas," the official stated, emphasizing that US military operations in Iran are proceeding apace. The president is scheduled to hold a news conference at 1 p.m. ET today, where he is expected to address the ongoing war and detail the successful rescue of an F-15 crew member whose aircraft was downed over Iranian territory.
Iran has already signaled its rejection of a temporary halt to hostilities, arguing that a brief ceasefire would merely provide its adversaries time to regroup and prepare for further military operations. Tehran claims it has formulated a definitive response to US demands to end the war, warning that any attacks on its infrastructure will trigger consequences extending far beyond the Middle East.
Mediators from Pakistan, Egypt, and Turkey have attempted to broker peace between the warring nations. However, indirect negotiations stalled last week, and prospects for face-to-face meetings have largely dissolved. The latest ceasefire draft, first reported by Axios, was delivered to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. Diplomats remain hopeful that a 45-day pause could still be enacted before Trump's deadline, creating space for permanent peace talks.
Meanwhile, regional violence continues to escalate rapidly across multiple fronts:
- Senior Iranian Officials Targeted: Israel announced the elimination of two high-ranking Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commanders in separate strikes today.
- Infrastructure and Civilian Casualties: Israeli forces reported striking a petrochemical complex in southwestern Iran. According to state media, overnight Israeli-US operations in Tehran resulted in multiple casualties, including six children. Simultaneously, an Iranian strike on a residential building in Haifa, Israel, left four people dead.