After ten consecutive nights of US's strikes on Iran and retaliatory attacks by Tehran on American bases across allied countries, a fresh diplomatic effort has reportedly emerged.
Key regional mediators, including Egypt, Pakistan and Qatar, have jointly put forward a ceasefire proposal to both Washington and Tehran, according to several news reports.
Regional mediators have conveyed to Iran a proposal aimed at de-escalating its conflict with the United States, offering a 10-day ceasefire to create space for reviving an interim agreement reached last month, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Monday.
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"We told the US and Iran that we propose a cooling-off period," one of the regional sources told Axios.
{{/usCountry}}"We told the US and Iran that we propose a cooling-off period," one of the regional sources told Axios.
{{/usCountry}}The report, however, said that while the Trump administration is considering the proposal, it is simultaneously preparing for a possible major escalation if diplomacy fails. In recent days, the US military has deployed dozens of fighter jets and aerial refuelling aircraft to the region, building up the capabilities needed for a larger military operation.
US officials also told Axios that the Trump administration has urged Israel to avoid any steps that could shut the narrow diplomatic window.
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The developments indicate that Trump is keeping both options on the table: pursuing diplomacy through the proposed ceasefire while remaining prepared for a significant military escalation if talks break down.
Under the proposed ceasefire, hostilities would be suspended, shipping through the Strait of Hormuz would resume, and Washington and Tehran would get an opportunity to revive their rapidly collapsing memorandum of understanding (MOU).
What's the latest in US-Iran war?
The US military said, on Tuesday, its forces struck Iranian military command centres, missile launch sites and air defence systems, while Iran responded by targeting American military installations in Kuwait and Jordan. Separately, the UK Navy reported attacks on two commercial vessels near the Strait of Hormuz.
Reacting to the developments, President Donald Trump wrote on social media: "Every time Iran kills an American Soldier they will pay for that killing many times over!"
The Strait of Hormuz has emerged as the focal point of the latest escalation, with Iran rejecting US demands to ensure uninterrupted maritime traffic under the ceasefire agreed last month.
Maintaining that it has the sovereign right to regulate traffic through the strategic waterway, Tehran has launched attacks on US bases in Kuwait, Jordan, Bahrain and Iraq.
Trump had warned Iran last week that the United States would intensify airstrikes and expand the list of targets unless Tehran backed down. Speaking to reporters, he said the latest US strikes were carried out "in honor" of the American personnel killed.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also said Trump will attend a dignified transfer ceremony for "our fallen heroes" on Tuesday evening.