Iran rejects U.S. ceasefire-for-strait deal
Iranian flag on the house, damaged in strike, Karaj, Iran, April 3, 2026 (Photo: Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS)
Iran has rejected a proposal to end the war with the U.S. and Israel, under which Tehran was to unblock the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for a ceasefire, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on April 6.
Iran will not agree to the set deadlines as it is now studying the proposal, he emphasized. Washington is "not ready for a permanent truce," according to the official.
The U.S. and Iran are discussing the terms of a potential 45-day ceasefire through mediators, which could lead to the final end of the war, Axios reported, citing sources familiar with the negotiations.
The potential agreement is seen as the "only chance to prevent a sharp escalation of the war," including mass strikes on Iranian civilian infrastructure and retaliatory strikes on energy facilities of the Persian Gulf countries. The chances of reaching an agreement within the next 48 hours are slim, according to Axios.
The negotiations are taking place through Pakistani, Egyptian, and Turkish mediators, as well as via text messages between Donald Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, four sources reported.
Trump stated on March 26 that at Tehran's request, he had postponed strikes on the Iranian energy sector for 10 days — until Monday, April 6, 2026. The Iranian Foreign Ministry called the White House head's statement "false and baseless."
Donald Trump issued a new ultimatum to Iran, giving Tehran 48 hours to open the Strait of Hormuz on April 5. He spoke harshly and threatened to strike Iran's power plants and bridges if there is no deal.
If the U.S. launches further strikes on Iran's infrastructure, the "gates of hell" will open for the U.S. and Israel, Tehran stated in response. Iran declared that it will fully open the Strait of Hormuz only after the country is compensated for financial losses due to the war, according to CNN.
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