German Media: Pakistan submits ceasefire plan — will the Strait of Hormuz open immediately?

Pakistani sources say the country is in communication with the United States and Iran, aiming to reach a temporary ceasefire agreement effective immediately on April 6, intended to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Trump has once again issued a threat: if Iran does not reopen the strait by the evening of April 7, the U.S. will destroy all bridges and power plants.

A source familiar with the matter told Reuters that Pakistan has developed a framework proposal to end hostilities and has been communicating urgently with Iran and the U.S. The ceasefire plan is designed to be implemented in two phases: first, an immediate halt to fighting and instant reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, followed by a 15- to 20-day period to finalize a comprehensive agreement that should include Iran's commitment to limit its nuclear program and the U.S. lifting sanctions on Iran.

The source also stated that "all elements of the framework must be agreed upon today, April 6," and added that preliminary consensus will be formalized through a memorandum of understanding, with Pakistan responsible for finalizing the text and serving as the sole channel of communication in this round of negotiations.

To date, negotiations surrounding this proposal have been conducted via telecommunication. The source said final face-to-face talks will take place in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan.

U.S. media Axios first reported on April 5, citing U.S., Israeli, and "regional sources," that the U.S. and Iran are exploring a potential 45-day ceasefire through "regional mediators," which could become part of a two-phase peace treaty aimed at ultimately ending the war.

Reuters also learned from insiders that participants in the remote consultations include Pakistani Army Chief General Asim Munir, U.S. Vice President J. D. Vance, U.S. Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff, and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi.

Neither the U.S. nor Iranian governments have immediately responded to the report, and the Pakistani Foreign Ministry declined to comment.

Earlier, Iranian officials told Reuters that Tehran is seeking a permanent ceasefire and demands that the U.S. and Israel cease attacking Iran. They said Iran has received messages from mediators including Pakistan, Turkey, and Egypt.

Trump issues another ultimatum

On Sunday, April 5, U.S. President Trump threatened that if the Iranian government fails to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by the deadline he set—8 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday (8 a.m. Beijing time Wednesday)—the U.S. will destroy all power plants inside Iran.

He said: "If Iran doesn't act before Tuesday night, there will be no power plants left domestically, and no bridges standing."

Last month, Trump set a deadline for Iran to reach an agreement and open the Strait of Hormuz, which expired on Monday after 10 days. However, in his most recent interview, he moved the deadline to Tuesday, then on Sunday afternoon, without further explanation, posted on social media: "Tuesday, 8 p.m. ET!"

Following Trump’s threats, oil prices surged sharply in early trading on Sunday. International benchmark Brent crude (ICE Brent) rose over 2%, reaching $111.25 per barrel. U.S. crude climbed nearly 3%, hitting $114.54 per barrel.

Facing Trump’s ongoing threats on social media, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf also took to social media on Sunday to reject Trump’s recent statements threatening attacks on Iran’s infrastructure, calling them "reckless."

He said: "You won’t gain anything from war crimes… The only real solution is respecting the rights of the Iranian people and ending this dangerous game."

According to Iran’s national television, Iran’s Supreme Joint Military Command has warned that if the U.S. and Israel attack oil and civilian infrastructure in the region, Iran will intensify its attacks on such facilities. It is now being reported that Iran will join the "Resistance Front" to expand blockades to the Bab al-Mandeb Strait along the Red Sea, through which roughly 12% of global trade normally passes. If blocked, global energy and trade flows would be severely disrupted.

Conflict continues between both sides

Before dawn on Monday, Tehran, Iran’s capital, was hit by a series of airstrikes. Explosions echoed across the sky throughout the night, but the exact targets remain unclear. The sound of low-flying fighter jets persisted intermittently for several hours.

Israeli authorities sounded one missile alert. Dubai in the UAE also sounded two missile alerts, prompting air defense systems to fire, though it remains unclear what targets Iran attacked. Kuwait also reported multiple interceptions of incoming Iranian missiles by its air defenses overnight.

Meanwhile, reports of Israeli attacks on Lebanon have not ceased. According to the Lebanese National News Agency, continuous strikes have resulted in the deaths of officials and civilians, including women.

In response, Doctors Without Borders condemned Israel’s attacks on residential areas in Beirut: "Airstrikes occurring suddenly in densely populated neighborhoods have catastrophic consequences, causing casualties and severely impairing hospitals’ ability to treat patients."

Source: DW

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1861717068184576/

Disclaimer: This article reflects the personal views of the author