The White House on Monday confirmed there was a deal under consideration for a 45-day ceasefire with Iran, but that President Donald Trump had “not signed off” on the proposal and is continuing the war.
AFP reported that United States media have reported that a proposal by mediators for a 45-day ceasefire in the Middle East war has been received by Washington. The draft plan, brokered by Egyptian, Pakistani and Turkish mediators, was sent late Sunday night to both Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff. It calls for an initial 45-day pause in fighting alongside the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to allow time for broader talks aimed at a permanent end to hostilities.
“This is one of many ideas, and POTUS (Trump) has not signed off on it. Operation Epic Fury continues,” a White House official told AFP, adding that the president will speak more on the conflict at a press conference scheduled for 1:00 pm (1700 GMT). Operation Epic Fury, launched at the end of February under President Trump’s direction, has involved US Central Command forces striking thousands of Iranian targets to dismantle the regime’s ballistic missile production, annihilate its navy, disrupt proxy networks and prevent any path to nuclear weapons. More than a month into the campaign, White House updates indicate core strategic objectives are advancing successfully, though fighting persists amid Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which has disrupted global oil flows.
Trump has repeatedly tied any ceasefire consideration to the full reopening of the strategic waterway, issuing extended deadlines and warnings of further strikes on Iranian infrastructure if unmet. The latest mediator proposal arrives as both sides exchange messages through intermediaries while the US maintains pressure through ongoing military operations. Iran has previously signaled interest in de-escalation but rejected shorter truce offers, citing past negotiation experiences with Washington. The press conference is expected to provide fresh operational details on the campaign’s progress and America’s stance on diplomatic overtures.
