US, Iran, mediators ‘mulling’ terms for potential 45-day ceasefire in war

Negotiations are being conducted through Pakistani, Egyptian, Turkish channels: Gas outages in Tehran as airstrikes hit university: Iran military threatens devastating retaliation if civilian facilities targeted: Israeli attacks on Lebanon kill 15 people

Published: 08:58 AM, 6 Apr, 2026
Middle East
US, Iran, mediators ‘mulling’ terms for potential 45-day ceasefire in war
Caption: An excavator clears the rubble from the site of an overnight Israeli strike that targeted the southern Lebanese village of Kfar Hatta.–AFP

The United States, Iran and a group of regional mediators including Pakistan are engaged in discussions over the terms of a potential 45-day ceasefire that could pave the way for a permanent end to the war, said a report by American news website Axios citing four US, Israeli and regional sources familiar with the talks.

The report said that while the chances of reaching even a partial agreement within the next 48 hours remain slim, the diplomatic effort is seen as a last opportunity to prevent a dramatic escalation that could involve massive strikes on Iranian civilian infrastructure and retaliatory attacks targeting energy and water facilities across Gulf countries.

According to the report, the negotiations are being conducted through Pakistani, Egyptian and Turkish mediators, as well as via text message exchanges between Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

Sources familiar with the discussions were quoted as saying that mediators are working on a two-phase framework for a potential agreement.

The first phase would involve a 45-day ceasefire, during which both sides would attempt to negotiate a permanent end to the war.

One source told Axios the ceasefire could be extended if more time is required to finalise a broader agreement.

The second phase would focus on securing a comprehensive deal that would formally end the conflict.

The report mentioned mediators believe that fully reopening the Strait of Hormuz and resolving concerns over Iran’s highly enriched uranium stockpile could only be achieved as part of a final agreement rather than during the initial ceasefire period.

According to the sources cited, discussions are underway regarding possible confidence-building measures Iran could take concerning the Strait of Hormuz and its uranium reserves.

These two issues are considered Tehran’s primary bargaining tools in negotiations, and Iranian officials are unlikely to fully give up leverage over them in exchange for only a temporary truce.

Mediators are therefore exploring whether Iran could take partial steps on both fronts in the first phase of the deal, while the Trump administration considers measures that could provide assurances that the ceasefire would not be merely temporary and that hostilities would not resume once the 45-day period ends.

Iranian officials have communicated concerns about being placed in a situation similar to ceasefire arrangements in Gaza or Lebanon, where fighting resumed despite agreements being in place.

Mediators are working on possible US confidence-building measures that could address some of Iran’s demands and provide guarantees regarding the durability of any ceasefire.

The White House declined to comment on the discussions, Axios reported.

A source with direct knowledge of the diplomatic efforts was quoted as saying that mediators are highly concerned that Iranian retaliation following potential US-Israeli strikes on the country’s energy infrastructure could cause significant damage to oil and water facilities in Gulf states.

According to the report, mediators have warned Iranian officials that there is little time left for prolonged negotiation tactics and stressed that the next 48 hours represent a critical opportunity to reach an agreement and avoid large-scale destruction.

Despite ongoing diplomatic engagement, Iranian officials have publicly maintained a hardline stance.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps Navy said Sunday that the situation in the Strait of Hormuz will “never return" to what it was before the war, particularly for the US and Israel.

The report noted that mediators are continuing efforts to bridge gaps between the two sides in what is being viewed as a last-ditch attempt to prevent further escalation in the conflict.

Defiant Iran ramps up attacks

Iran launched fresh attacks across the Middle East on Monday and threatened "devastating" retaliation, after US President Donald Trump's expletive-laced warning that Tehran must reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Israel, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates reported a barrage of missile and drone strikes early Monday.

The attacks came as Tehran ramped up rhetoric against Trump, with Tehran's central military command warning of "much more devastating" retaliation if its adversaries hit civilian targets.

The warning came hours after Trump threatened to destroy Iran's civilian infrastructure, demanding Tehran bow to his demands for a deal to reopen the Gulf to shipping.

Iran has effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a vital energy chokepoint, provoking Trump to demand Sunday: "Open the Fuckin' Strait, you crazy bastards, or you'll be living in Hell."

In a terse follow-up post, the president apparently set a new deadline for Iran to comply: "Tuesday, 8:00 PM" (0000 GMT Wednesday).

As Christians marked Easter, Trump revived warnings of air strikes on Iranian power plants and bridges, after celebrating the rescue of a wounded airman whose fighter jet went down inside Iran.

Iranian images showed wreckage of several aircraft, but Tehran did not deny US forces rescued the officer, who sheltered in a mountainous area while American special forces and Iranian troops raced to find him.

Trump said in a Truth Social post announcing the airman's rescue that he would give a news conference on Monday.

- 'Nothing like it!' -

The war, which erupted on February 28 with deadly US-Israeli strikes on Tehran, has engulfed the Middle East and strained the global economy.

Iranian missiles have hit Israeli cities and economic infrastructure in the Gulf, sending world energy prices soaring.

Oil opened higher in early trading in Asia, with US benchmark West Texas Intermediate up 1.86 percent to $113.62 a barrel and Brent above $110.

While Trump told Fox News Iran was "close" to making a deal, security analyst Danny Citrinowicz said "the prospect of a negotiated agreement with Iran, at least under current conditions, is close to nonexistent."

"Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!!" Trump declared, prompting Tehran to accuse Trump of taking orders from Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Iran's parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, posted on social media that "our whole region is going to burn because you insist on following Netanyahu's commands."

Iran's ally Russia also condemned Trump's threat. Moscow said Washington should abandon "the language of ultimatums" and return to negotiations, according to a Russian readout of Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's latest call with his Iranian counterpart.

Many residents of Tehran seemed indifferent to Trump's invective, with young Iranians exercising, flying kites and holding picnics in a large park in the city's west Sunday.

- Gas outages in Tehran -

Gas outages hit parts of Tehran after a strike on a university, according to Iran's state broadcaster IRIB.

Local media also reported several attacks on residential areas over the Iranian capital.

- Iran threatens 'devastating' retaliation -

Iran's central military command warned of "much more devastating" retaliation if its adversaries hit civilian targets.

"If attacks on civilian targets are repeated, the next stages of our offensive and retaliatory operations will be much more devastating and widespread," a spokesman for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said, according to state broadcaster IRIB.

US President Donald Trump previously threatened to destroy Iran's civilian infrastructure if Tehran does not strike a deal to reopen the Gulf to shipping.

- Strikes on Gulf states -

Kuwait's army said its air defences were working to intercept missiles and drones fired towards the Gulf nation's territory.

The country previously said it was responding to similar attacks overnight.

The United Arab Emirates defence ministry said its air defences were responding to a missile and drone attack.

- Hezbollah strikes on Israel -

Lebanese militant group Hezbollah said it fired a salvo of rockets at Israel, targeting towns in the north.

Lebanon has increasingly been dragged into the conflict since Iran-backed Hezbollah resumed targeting Israel.

- Oil benchmarks open above $110 -

Crude oil prices opened higher on Monday as the war in the Middle East continues to squeeze global energy supplies.

North Sea Brent crude increased 1.16 percent to $110.30 a barrel, while the US benchmark West Texas Intermediate was up 1.86 percent to $113.62 a barrel.

- Israel strikes on Lebanon kill 15 -

Israeli strikes on Lebanon killed at least 15 people Sunday and wounded 39, Lebanese officials said.

One of Israel's strikes in Beirut Sunday killed at least five people and wounded 52 in the Jnah neighbourhood, according to the Lebanese health ministry, while a strike targeting an apartment building in Ain Saadeh town east of Beirut killed three people and injured three others.

A strike in the southern town of Kfar Hatta, far from the border with Israel, killed seven people including a four-year-old girl, the ministry added.

- Trump deadline -

Trump appeared to extend by 24 hours his deadline for Iran to make a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face devastating infrastructure attacks.

"Tuesday, 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time!" he simply said on his Truth Social platform.

- Israeli residential building hit -

The Israeli military and medics said a missile fired from Iran hit a residential building in the northern city of Haifa, injuring four people.

The building was hit by a "direct impact of a missile", the military told AFP.

- Trump threatens 'hell' -

Trump threatened "hell" if Iran did not reopen the Strait of Hormuz, vowing in an expletive-laden social media post to strike its bridges and power plants.

Iran's powerful parliament speaker warned Trump in response that his "reckless moves" would mean "our whole region is going to burn".

- US rescue mission -

Trump said a missing airman from a downed US F-15 fighter jet had been found in a "daring" and "miraculous" rescue, but Iran's military said the American operation had been "completely foiled".

Trump, in a social media post, said "dozens" of US aircraft took part in the rescue operation and that the crew member was "seriously wounded".

- 'Deep' op -

US news outlets reported that American commandos had deployed deep into Iranian territory to rescue the downed airman.

The Iranian military said the US operation had used an abandoned airport in southern Isfahan province.

Two planes meant to transport the airman and his rescuers to safety were stuck in Iran and had to be destroyed to prevent them from falling into Iranian hands, The New York Times and CBS reported.

- OPEC+ hikes quotas -

The OPEC+ oil cartel agreed to again increase oil production quotas, by 206,000 barrels per day from May.

It warned that repairing energy facilities damaged in recent attacks is costly and "takes a long time", potentially hitting global oil supplies well into the future.

- Iran airport hit -

A US-Israeli airstrike hit the Qasem Soleimani international airport in southwestern Iran, state media reported.

- Pope urges peace -

Pope Leo XIV urged "those who have the power to unleash wars" to "choose peace", in his first Easter blessing as pontiff.

"We are growing accustomed to violence, resigning ourselves to it, and becoming indifferent. Indifferent to the deaths of thousands of people," he told a crowd in St Peter's Square.

- Holy Sepulchre restrictions -

Israeli security forces imposed restrictions on access to the Holy Sepulchre in occupied east Jerusalem, where Christians believe Jesus Christ was crucified, buried and rose from the dead.

The usually lively alleyways of Jerusalem's Old City were unusually quiet on Easter Sunday, the holiday overshadowed by the war.

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