Peace efforts led by Pakistan to broker a ceasefire between the US and Iran have reportedly reached a stalemate, as the war enters its second month.
Mediator countries are rushing to overcome the diplomatic deadlock ahead of the April 6 deadline set by US President Donald Trump for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
Peace Efforts Deadlocked
Peace efforts by regional countries, spearheaded by Pakistan, to reach a ceasefire between the US and Iran have hit a dead end, reported the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on Friday, citing mediators.
The impasse follows Iran’s official rejection of the US demands as “unacceptable” and Tehran’s unwillingness to meet with American officials in Islamabad in the coming days.
Pakistan has positioned itself as a trusted broker in the US-Iran talks, announcing on Sunday that Islamabad would facilitate potential talks between Washington and Tehran to “secure a comprehensive and lasting settlement to the conflict.”
Intensified Diplomatic Push
The WSJ reported that Egypt and Türkiye – two key mediators alongside Pakistan – are racing to break the deadlock. In light of this, Cairo and Ankara are considering new locations for hosting the talks, such as Doha or Istanbul. They are also discussing new proposals to find a way out of this stalemate.
However, Qatar is reluctant to take a key mediator role in potential US-Iran ceasefire talks. According to the WSJ, citing officials familiar with the matter and mediators, Qatar informed US officials last week that Doha was not interested in playing a key role in the mediation or leading the efforts.
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Türkiye have been leading an intensified diplomatic push to de-escalate tensions and broker a ceasefire between the US and Iran. The top diplomats of the four regional powers held two meetings, in Riyadh and Islamabad, to discuss ways to resolve the crisis.
US 15-Point Proposal
The US presented a 15-point proposal to end the ongoing hostilities and reach a ceasefire with Iran. The proposal’s main points include Tehran abandoning its nuclear ambitions, US taking possession of Iran’s highly enriched uranium, Iran restraining its missile program and reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran reportedly rejected these demands, submitting a counterproposal instead. Tehran’s demands for a ceasefire include the US paying reparations, withdrawing from Middle East bases, and offering guarantees not to attack Iran again, according to WSJ.
On Wednesday, Trump claimed in a social media post that Iran has asked for a ceasefire. However, Tehran denied this claim. Most recently, Iran said it had rejected a 48-hour ceasefire proposal from the US, the semi-official Fars News Agency reported on Friday, citing an unnamed source.
According to the source, the proposal was made on Wednesday through another country, without naming it.
Hormuz Deadline
Trump has made conflicting remarks regarding the Strait of Hormuz. He said on many occasions that the US would only consider a ceasefire with Iran when the Strait of Hormuz “is open and free.” He set April 6 as a deadline for Iran to reopen the critical waterway or the US “will hit and obliterate” Iranian power plants.
In the meantime, Trump lashed out at European NATO allies for not providing support for the US in the reopening of Hormuz. Then, he called on other oil-importing nations to “build up some delayed courage” and seize the strategic waterway, suggesting that it is not America’s responsibility.
On Friday, Trump changed the tone again, expressing an interest in reopening the strait. “With a little more time, we can easily OPEN THE HORMUZ STRAIT, TAKE THE OIL, & MAKE A FORTUNE. IT WOULD BE A “GUSHER” FOR THE WORLD???” he posted on Truth Social.
The Strait of Hormuz is a crucial waterway linking the Arabian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, through which around a fifth of daily global oil supplies and LNG supplies pass.
