By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: A framework for ending hostilities between Iran and the United States, including an immediate ceasefire and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, was conveyed overnight to both sides by Pakistani intermediaries, according to a source familiar with the discussions told Reuters.
The proposal envisions a two-stage process: an immediate halt to fighting that could take effect as soon as Monday, followed by up to 15 to 20 days of negotiations aimed at a broader settlement. All core elements would need to be agreed upon today, the source said, with the initial understanding taking the form of an electronically finalised memorandum of understanding routed exclusively through Pakistan, which has served as the sole channel for the talks.
The source described the plan, tentatively referred to as the “Islamabad Accord,” as including a regional framework for secure passage through the strait and culminating in in-person negotiations in the Pakistani capital.
Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, was in contact “all night long” with US Vice President JD Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, the source added.
There was no immediate confirmation from US or Iranian officials. Iranian authorities have long insisted on a permanent ceasefire backed by concrete guarantees against renewed attacks by the United States or Israel. Messages have reached Tehran through mediators, including Pakistan, Turkey and Egypt.
A separate report by Axios on Sunday, citing four US, Israeli and regional sources, described ongoing discussions among the United States, Iran and mediators for a potential 45-day ceasefire as the first phase of a two-part deal that could lead to a permanent end to the conflict.
Under that framework, the initial truce would allow time for talks on a comprehensive agreement, with the possibility of extension if needed. Issues such as the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the disposition of Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium would be reserved for the final settlement, those sources said.
The diplomatic activity comes as the conflict, which began in late February, enters its sixth week. President Donald Trump initially suggested the campaign might last four to five weeks, but fighting has persisted, and threats of escalation have intensified.
Trump warned on Sunday that if the strait is not reopened by Tuesday, the United States could target Iran’s power plants and bridges. Iranian officials have responded defiantly. The Revolutionary Guard’s naval command has stated that the waterway “will never return to normal,” particularly for Israel and the United States.
An analysis published Monday by Tasnim, a news outlet affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, dismissed the idea of a temporary 45-day truce “under the shadow of war,” arguing that any pause failing to meet Tehran’s conditions would simply give Washington and Israel time to regroup, replenish supplies and maintain pressure on Iran.
According to two Pakistani sources, Iran has not yet committed to the latest proposals despite intensified outreach from civilian and military channels in Islamabad, Beijing and Washington. “Iran has not responded yet,” one of the sources said.
The potential terms of a final agreement, according to the source who spoke to Reuters, could include Iranian commitments to forgo nuclear weapons in exchange for sanctions relief and the release of frozen assets. But Pakistani officials indicated that Tehran has so far withheld any such pledge.
Negotiations have proceeded through multiple tracks, including direct text messages between Witkoff and Araghchi as well as intermediaries from Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey. Mediators have expressed concern that any US or Israeli strike on Iranian energy infrastructure could prompt retaliation damaging Persian Gulf oil facilities, desalination plants and other critical regional assets. Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen have previously shown the capacity to target infrastructure and shipping, raising the risk that any escalation could spread beyond Iran’s borders.
Iran’s electricity grid is particularly vulnerable. The country relies overwhelmingly on thermal power plants fueled by natural gas. A relatively small number of large facilities supply major population centers and industrial zones. Among the most significant are the Damavand combined-cycle plant east of Tehran, a primary supplier to the capital region; the Neka facility on the Caspian coast; and the Shahid Montazeri plant near Isfahan. Even limited strikes on a handful of these installations could knock out substantial generating capacity, triggering rolling blackouts across urban and industrial areas.
The humanitarian consequences would be immediate and widespread. Hospitals depend on reliable power for life-support systems and refrigeration of medicines. Water treatment and pumping stations require electricity to maintain the supply. Telecommunications, factories and transportation networks would all face disruption. Iran’s economy, already strained by sanctions, high inflation and drought, could suffer further setbacks, with the repair of damaged plants complicated by import restrictions on specialised components.
Targeting power infrastructure also carries legal and ethical weight. International humanitarian law restricts attacks on civilian objects when the expected harm to civilians is disproportionate to the concrete military advantage. Human rights organisations have long warned that damage to electricity systems can produce cascading effects on civilian life far beyond any battlefield impact.
At the centre of the confrontation lies the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly 20 million barrels of oil — about one-fifth of global seaborne trade — pass daily. Prolonged closure has already driven up insurance costs for tankers, slowed shipping and contributed to higher energy prices. Crude oil futures jumped at the opening of trading on Monday as fears of further disruption mounted. Analysts caution that sustained blockage or escalation could send prices significantly higher, with ripple effects on energy-importing economies in Asia and beyond.
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