Negotiations for a 45-Day Ceasefire Between Washington and Tehran Before Trump's Deadline Expires

SadaNews: The United States and Iran, along with regional mediators, are engaged in intense talks to reach a temporary ceasefire lasting 45 days, which could pave the way for a permanent end to the war, in an effort viewed as the last chance to avoid a broad escalation.

Axios reported from four informed sources in the U.S., Israel, and the region that the chances of reaching an agreement in the next 48 hours remain slim, but these efforts represent the last opportunity to avoid a significant military escalation, which may include extensive strikes on civilian facilities in Iran.

These negotiations come after U.S. President Donald Trump extended a 10-day deadline for Iran, which was set to expire on Monday U.S. time, by an additional 20 hours, establishing a new deadline for Tuesday evening, in a move aimed at providing a final opportunity for negotiations.

Trump told Axios on Sunday that Washington is "engaged in deep negotiations" with Tehran, considering there is a "good chance" for an agreement, but he simultaneously warned that "everything there will be blown up" if negotiations fail, referring to potential strikes on critical infrastructure.

According to the site, the talks are being conducted through intermediaries, in addition to text exchanges between Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi.

Despite Washington presenting several proposals in recent days, Iran has not agreed to any of them yet, according to an American official.

A Two-Phase Agreement

The proposed deal is structured in two phases. The first phase includes an initial ceasefire lasting 45 days during which negotiations for a final settlement would take place. The second phase involves reaching an agreement to end the war permanently.

Mediators believe that core issues, such as reopening the Strait of Hormuz and addressing the high-enriched uranium file, will only be resolved within a final agreement, not during the first phase.

Currently, negotiations are focusing on confidence-building measures, particularly regarding the Strait of Hormuz and Iran's uranium stockpile, which are two key cards for Tehran, which refuses to relinquish them in exchange for just a temporary ceasefire, according to two sources.

Iran also demands clear guarantees against the resumption of military operations to avoid repeating scenarios similar to what happened in Gaza and Lebanon, where the ceasefire is theoretical but the U.S. and Israel could launch a new attack at any time.

Mediators aim to find out if Iran can take partial steps regarding both issues in the first phase of the agreement. They are also working on what steps the Trump administration can take to provide guarantees to Iran that the ceasefire will not be temporary and that the war will not resume.

Warnings About the Critical Moment

Axios noted that mediators informed Iranian officials that there is no room for further negotiations, stressing that the next 48 hours are the last chance to reach an agreement and avoid massive destruction in the country.

Iranian officials, at least publicly, continue to adopt a hardline stance, rejecting any concessions. The naval forces of the Revolutionary Guard confirmed that the situation in the Strait of Hormuz "will never go back" to what it was before the war, especially for the U.S. and Israel.