Dubai/Islamabad: Iran has firmly rejected reopening the Strait of Hormuz in return for a mere “temporary ceasefire,” a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Monday, accusing the United States of lacking readiness for a permanent one.
The official revealed that Tehran received a proposal from Pakistan for an immediate ceasefire and is currently reviewing it. However, Iran “does not accept being pressured to accept deadlines and make a decision.”
Meanwhile, amid fragile diplomatic efforts toward a ceasefire, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) announced they are finalizing preparations to enforce stringent new operating conditions in the critical Strait of Hormuz — a chokepoint for global oil shipments that has remained largely closed since the war with the US and Israel erupted, as reported by The Economic Times.
In a post on X on Sunday, the IRGC naval forces stated: “The IRGC naval force is completing operational preparations for the Iranian authorities’ #declared_plan for the new Persian Gulf order.”
They issued a stark warning: conditions in the strait “will never return to its former status, especially for the US and Israel.”
This comes hours after US President Donald Trump reiterated threats to strike Iran’s power plants and bridges should the vital route not reopen promptly.
Separately, a source briefed on the negotiations told Reuters that Iran and the US have exchanged a Pakistani-drafted plan to halt hostilities, potentially taking effect as early as Monday and paving the way for the strait’s reopening.
The proposal envisions a two-tier strategy: an immediate ceasefire followed by a broader agreement. “All elements need to be agreed today,” the source emphasized, noting the initial pact would take shape as “a memorandum of understanding finalised electronically through Pakistan, the sole communication channel in the talks.”
Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, held round-the-clock discussions “all night long” with US Vice President JD Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff, and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, according to the source.
Earlier, Axios reported — citing US, Israeli, and regional sources — that mediators were exploring a 45-day ceasefire as the first phase of a two-part deal aimed at achieving a lasting end to the conflict.
