Diplomacy has attempted to make a breakthrough to halt, or at least freeze, the Gulf War, but the thread threatens to snap at any moment. The new development is that the mediators have presented the so-called "Islamabad Agreement": a 45-day truce that will allow for negotiations on everything else, including the unblocking of Hormuz. Donald Trump's reaction was "an important step, but not enough," followed by a new threat to the ayatollahs: "Iran can be eliminated overnight, and it could happen Tuesday night," the date of the new and "definitive" ultimatum the tycoon has set the regime to accept an agreement.

Tehran, however, rejected the idea of a temporary ceasefire, putting forward a 10-point counterplan that primarily aims to permanently end hostilities. These proposals were accompanied by a new message of resistance from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei : "The crimes and killings will not affect us."

The Pakistan-brokered plan calls for an immediate ceasefire, followed by negotiations for a comprehensive agreement (including the Hormuz issue and uranium stockpiles ) to be concluded within 15-20 days, a source familiar with the matter said, citing intense contacts between Pakistan's Chief of Staff Asim Munir, US Vice President J.D. Vance, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Egyptians and Turks are also involved in the mediation, other sources reported, confirming that the negotiations would be in two phases, including the possibility of extending the truce. The chances of an agreement within a few days are, however, considered slim. According to Iranian media, the theocracy has sent Pakistan a "10-point" counterproposal that, above all, "rejects the ceasefire, emphasizing the need for a definitive end to the conflict."

Furthermore, the call is for an end to hostilities in the region, a protocol for safe passage through Hormuz, compensation, and the lifting of sanctions. In any case, the strait, a key hub for international trade, "will not be reopened in exchange for a temporary truce." The US's 15-point plan for Tehran remains "unacceptable."

(Unioneonline)

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