Report: Mediators are pushing phased Iran ceasefire starting with confidence building steps

Mediating countries Pakistan, Egypt, and Turkey are urgently working to prevent a dramatic escalation in the war with Iran by advancing a phased ceasefire agreement, Channel 12’s Barak Ravid reports, revealing new details about the agreement.

The first stage of the framework, which Ravid first reported on Axios yesterday, would see a 45-day ceasefire, alongside confidence-building steps by both the US and Iran.

Iran would partially reopen the Strait of Hormuz and dilute some of its highly enriched uranium stockpile during this stage. Iranians have already begun technical steps in preparation for this dilution process, a source tells Channel 12.

For its part, the US would release billions of dollars in Iranian funds frozen in overseas accounts and provide assurances that the temporary ceasefire could transition into a permanent arrangement, according to the Hebrew-language network.

In the second stage, the two sides would enter negotiations on a final agreement to end the war, with the option to extend the truce for as long as those talks continue. Such an agreement would need to meet US demands for the removal of all of Iran’s highly enriched uranium stockpile from the country, as well as the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, Channel 12 adds.

However, a major obstacle to reaching a deal is that Tehran does not believe that Washington is negotiating in good faith and is therefore demanding very strong guarantees, the report continues, saying that Iranian officials seek to avoid a status quo similar to Lebanon or Gaza, where they believe ceasefire agreements have failed to prevent renewed Israeli and US strikes.