Axios: Proposal for a 10-day Ceasefire Between Washington and Tehran and Two Options for Managing Strait of Hormuz Fees

SadaNews - Axios reported on Tuesday, citing two regional sources familiar with the mediation efforts, that Qatar, Egypt, Pakistan, and other regional mediators have presented a new proposal to the United States and Iran for a 10-day ceasefire.

American officials stated that the Trump administration is considering the mediators' proposal and has urged Israel to refrain from taking any actions that could close this diplomatic window.

At the same time, Washington is preparing for the possibility of these talks failing, having sent dozens of fighter jets and refueling aircraft to the Middle East in recent days as part of its efforts to mobilize the necessary forces if military escalation with Tehran continues.

Israeli sources have also reported that the Israeli military is on high alert, preparing for the possibility of the war in the region expanding into a large-scale military campaign within days.

These mediation efforts come as the tenth night of American bombardment of Iran has passed, with 3 American soldiers killed in Jordan and Iraq. In this context, Trump stated on Monday that he ordered the Pentagon to make Iran "pay dearly" for every American casualty.

For the second time, regional mediators are rushing to contain the cycle of revenge between Washington and Tehran, which becomes increasingly bloody and costly with each new attack.

In this regard, Axios noted that the new ceasefire proposal includes two main conditions to put Washington and Tehran back on a negotiating path and to salvage the memorandum of understanding between them: a cessation of hostilities and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to global maritime traffic.

The proposal stipulates the full reopening of the shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz, ensuring that the southern corridor through Omani waters is free from Iranian attacks, while the northern corridor through Iranian waters is free from American naval blockade.

A regional source told Axios that mediators have informed Washington and Tehran of the proposal for de-escalation and cessation of hostilities for 10 days.

Additionally, regional sources indicated that mediators are attempting to build on a proposal previously discussed between Oman, Iran, and Qatar in the Omani capital of Muscat on July 11, when the United States demanded Iran to publicly commit to keeping the Strait of Hormuz open.

Those talks ended without reaching an agreement, after which Iran attacked commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz shortly thereafter, prompting the return of American bombardment on Iran once again.

Two Options for Managing Strait of Hormuz Fees

According to Axios, it is expected that the United States and Iran will negotiate a long-term arrangement to regulate maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz during the temporary ceasefire.

According to a regional source, one of the options proposed stipulates allowing Iran to collect "reasonable service fees" in exchange for maritime security services, environmental protection, and other services.

The source noted that the Strait of Malacca is a model for this proposal, where Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore impose fees on ships for specific services instead of comprehensive tolls.

On the other hand, another idea suggests depositing these fees into a joint fund, managed with the participation of the International Maritime Organization.

A regional source clarified that efforts to establish a ceasefire have begun to gain interest from both sides - last Saturday - before Iranian strikes in Jordan resulted in the deaths of two American soldiers, prompting Washington to back away from engaging in talks.

Accountability for Iran

A senior American official confirmed to Axios that talks are ongoing, but noted that Trump has not yet finished his retaliatory response and is currently focused on making Iran "pay for its violations of the memorandum of understanding and its ongoing terrorist actions in the Strait of Hormuz."

He added: "The president will ensure Iran pays for the recent deaths of American soldiers. These devastating strikes will continue until the president decides otherwise."

A regional source stated that the White House might continue bombing Iran for several days as retaliation for the deaths of American soldiers in the region before considering the new de-escalation proposal seriously.

On the Iranian side, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghaei confirmed on Monday that mediators are working to prevent further escalation.