Mediators report progress as US-Iran strike pause reaches third day

Neither the United States nor Iran carried out attacks for a third consecutive day on Monday, as mediators Pakistan and Qatar intensified shuttle diplomacy following both sides' responses to a joint de-escalation proposal, according to Pakistani government sources and regional officials.

Both Sides Signal Willingness to Talk

The Associated Press reported Monday that mediators have achieved progress in efforts to bring Washington and Tehran back to the negotiating table, with one regional official describing the diplomatic headway as "significant". Both the US and Iran have submitted their responses to the Pakistani-Qatari proposal, Al Arabiya reported, citing sources. A Pakistani government source told Turkey's Anadolu Agency that Washington and Tehran "communicated their consent for dialogue and diplomacy to end the latest hostilities, and return to negotiations".jpost+2

The proposal, first presented on July 20, calls on both sides to return to their positions before July 9, when the latest round of hostilities erupted. Under the formula, Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz while the US would end its blockade of Iranian ports and lift sanctions on Iranian oil sales, followed by a ceasefire to create space for resumed talks.turkiyetoday+2

President Donald Trump told reporters Friday that the "smarter strategy" would be to reach an agreement, adding, "We're talking to them right now. I think they're getting more and more serious as the days go by". US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz confirmed on Sunday that Trump had decided to pause attacks to allow more time for diplomacy.hawaiitribune-herald+1

Fragile Calm, Unresolved Disputes

Iran adopted a reciprocal stance, with a senior Iranian official telling Reuters Thomson Reuters Corporation ↗ 8.66% that Tehran's position "remains 'attack for attack': if the attacks stop, Iran will also halt its operations". The pause followed 13 consecutive nights of US strikes on Iranian coastal areas and infrastructure.npr+2

Yet the calm remained precarious. Iran told Pakistani officials it had rejected the creation of a new maritime corridor in the Strait of Hormuz, a point that has been central to the dispute. NPR reported that a compromise under negotiation would have Iran manage vessel transit through the strait with fewer restrictions on ships. Mediators were also working with Iran and Oman on a separate mechanism for managing passage through the waterway.wusa9+2

Broader Tensions Persist

Commercial shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz fell to a three-week low, though a US Navy-overseen maritime body said no new attacks had been confirmed in the past 72 hours. The crisis has been compounded by Houthi militants in Yemen announcing a blockade in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait against Saudi Arabia, threatening a second chokepoint for global energy supplies.ms+1

The latest mediation builds on months of diplomatic efforts, including a 14-point memorandum of understanding signed by the US and Iran on June 17 that was meant to end the conflict but was repeatedly undermined by exchanges of fire. Whether the current pause can hold long enough for talks to resume remains the central question confronting the region's mediators.dailysabah