Iran will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for a “temporary ceasefire”, a senior Iranian official said on Monday after receiving a new proposal from mediators to end the war.
The unnamed official told Reuters that Iran’s leadership is reviewing a plan for an immediate pause in hostilities sent by mediator Pakistan ahead of Donald Trump’s Tuesday deadline for strikes on energy infrastructure.
Tehran does not believe that Washington is ready for a permanent ceasefire, however, and will not accept being pressured to accept deadlines and make a decision, the unnamed source said.
Esmaeil Baghaei, a spokesperson for Iran’s foreign ministry, said Iran had formulated its positions and demands in response to the proposals, adding that negotiations were “incompatible with ultimatums and threats to commit war crimes”.
“Iran does not hesitate to clearly express what it considers its legitimate demands and doing so should not be interpreted as a sign of compromise, but rather as a reflection of its confidence in defending its positions,” Baghaei said in a press conference.
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He said that Iran would release its response “in due time”.
Trump on Sunday told Iran to “open the F***in’ Strait” or face “living in hell” in an extraordinary outburst on Truth Social but continued to insist that negotiations with Tehran were ongoing.
Trump’s 10-day deadline to Iran was set to expire on Monday, before he appeared to present a new deadline of 8pm ET on Tuesday (1am Wednesday BST) in another post on social media.
A source close to ongoing diplomatic efforts told Reuters that both Iran and the US have now received a ‘two-tier proposal’ to end the war, which includes a ceasefire and a more permanent plan to end hostilities.
The framework to end hostilities was apparently put together by Pakistan and exchanged with Iran and the US overnight.
“All elements need to be agreed today,” the source said, adding the initial understanding would be structured as a memorandum of understanding finalised through Pakistan, the sole communication channel in the talks.
The plan is said to include a proposal for an immediate ceasefire and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, with 15–20 days given to finalise a broader settlement.
The deal, dubbed the “Islamabad Accord,” would include final in-person talks in Islamabad.
The source said that Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, held separate calls “all night long” with JD Vance, US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi.
The proposal for a final agreement is said to include Iran forgoing the development of nuclear weapons, receiving relief from sanctions, and the release of frozen assets.
US, Iranian and regional sources familiar with talks told US outlet Axios that the warring parties, via mediators, are discussing terms for a 45-day ceasefire that could lead to a more permanent solution.
Trump told the website that the US is in “deep negotiations” with Iran, suggesting there was a “good chance” of success, before adding: “If they don’t make a deal, I am blowing up everything over there.”
Amnesty International warned last month that intentionally attacking civilian infrastructure such as power plants “could amount to a war crime”.
“Even in the limited cases that they qualify as military targets, a party still cannot attack power plants if this may cause disproportionate harm to civilians,” said Erika Guevara-Rosas, Amnesty International’s Senior Director of Research, Advocacy, Policy and Campaigns.
“Given that such power plants are essential for meeting the basic needs and livelihoods of tens of millions of civilians, attacking them would be disproportionate and thus unlawful under international humanitarian law, and could amount to a war crime.”
Independent
