Washington: Iran and the United States are exploring a short-term deal to halt fighting, with a draft memorandum that would stop the war while leaving major disputes unresolved, sources said Thursday.
Reuters reported that the proposal would unfold in three stages: formally ending the conflict, resolving the Strait of Hormuz crisis and opening a 30-day window for broader negotiations.
A senior Pakistani official involved in mediation told Reuters that the priority was for both sides to announce a permanent end to the war before returning to direct talks on remaining issues.
Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said in Islamabad that Pakistan remained optimistic and expected an agreement “sooner rather than later.”
US President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House that Iran wanted to make a deal and said an agreement was “very possible,” while Tehran signalled caution over the proposal.
Iranian lawmaker Ebrahim Rezaei called the proposal “more of an American wish-list than a reality,” while parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf mocked reports that the two sides were close.
The memorandum does not include several earlier US demands rejected by Tehran, including limits on Iran’s missile programme and an end to support for regional groups such as Hezbollah.
The memo did not mention Iran’s stockpile of more than 400kg, or 900 pounds, of near-weapons-grade uranium, one of Washington’s central concerns.
Deal hopes moved markets, with Brent crude falling about 3% to around USD 98 a barrel on Thursday after a nearly 8% drop on Wednesday, while global shares rose.
The Associated Press reported that Tehran was reviewing a US proposal as Trump pressed for an agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to global shipping.
