Iran secretly submitted proposal for 10-day ceasefire while under intense US strikes - exclusive

What Happened

Iran initiated a proposal, now advanced by Qatari, Egyptian, Omani, and Pakistani mediators, for a 10-day ceasefire with the United States, two sources familiar with the negotiations told The Jerusalem Post. The proposal aims to address the Strait of Hormuz crisis that erupted after a memorandum of understanding between Tehran and Washington collapsed last month. Mediators have added the idea of a 'middle corridor' between Omani- and Iranian-controlled waters for safe commercial transit. The United States, according to the same sources, is demanding a longer ceasefire and partial understandings on freedom of navigation before any pause takes effect. A US official told the Post that President Donald Trump is focused on ensuring Iran 'pays a price' for violating the memorandum and for the deaths of American service members in missile and drone attacks in Jordan and Iraq. Trump is expected to attend a ceremony for the fallen soldiers on Tuesday. Separately, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened a more than five-hour security consultation ending at 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, after which Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said Israel has no interest in joining the Iran-US conflict and prefers maintaining the status quo.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The Iranian ceasefire initiative exposes Tehran's acute concern over sustained US military pressure and the potential return of a full-scale campaign. The Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for one-fifth of global oil flows, remains a flashpoint; any disruption risks severe economic consequences. The collapse of the earlier memorandum of understanding and Washington's hardline demands suggest brittle diplomacy. Trump's emphasis on exacting a price for American casualties adds a personal and political dimension, while Israel's stated non-involvement could influence the conflict's scope and regional alignment.

Watch For

Trump's Tuesday ceremony for the repatriated soldiers, whether mediators can reconcile US demands for longer ceasefire and preconditions with Iran's 10-day pause, any further US strikes or Iranian responses, progress on the 'middle corridor' concept, and reactions from Gulf states reliant on Hormuz shipping.