US and Iran Discuss Potential 45-Day Ceasefire Through Regional Mediators

The United States and Iran are negotiating terms for a potential 45-day ceasefire through Pakistani, Egyptian, and Turkish mediators, as well as via text messages between Trump envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian FM Abbas Araghchi. The proposed two-phase deal would establish a ceasefire during which a permanent end to the war would be negotiated, with the Strait of Hormuz and highly enriched uranium as Iran's primary bargaining chips. Mediators assess chances of reaching even a partial deal within 48 hours as slim, and Iranian officials have made clear they will not accept an arrangement like Gaza or Lebanon where a ceasefire exists on paper while attacks continue.