Pakistan Emerges as Key Mediator in Push to End Hormuz Crisis

The United States and Iran have both received via Pakistan a plan for an immediate ceasefire that could reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters reported on Monday, citing a source with knowledge of the proposals.

The plan could come into effect as early as today and allow an opening of the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most vital oil and LNG chokepoint, according to the Reuters source.

Under the provisional so-called ‘Islamabad Accord’, an immediate ceasefire could come into effect, allowing for talks to continue for up to another 15-20 days for a final comprehensive agreement, the source told Reuters.

On Sunday, U.S., Israeli, and regional sources told Axios that the United States, Iran, and mediators in the region are discussing details and terms of a potential 45-day ceasefire.  

According to Reuters’ source, Field Marshal Asim Munir, the chief of Army Staff of Pakistan, has been in contact “all night long” with Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, U.S. Vice President JD Vance, and special U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff.

Reports of proposed ceasefire plans emerged hours after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened Iran, again, in an expletive-ridden post on Truth Social, demanding the immediate opening of the Strait of Hormuz, which was open to free vessel traffic before February 28.

“Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the Fuckin’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell – JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah,” Trump wrote on Easter Sunday.

Iran dismissed the threat and threatened in turn the U.S.

Senior Iranian military officer, General Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi, said in response to Trump’s threat that “the gates of hell will open for you” while official Iranian accounts on social media openly mocked Trump’s threat.

“We’ve lost the keys,” the Iranian Embassy in Zimbabwe posted on X in response to the demand to open the Strait of Hormuz.

Jibes aside, even an immediate and unconditional re-opening of the Strait of Hormuz would be followed by months needed to normalize flows of oil, petroleum, products, LNG, ammonia, sulfur, helium, and other products key to critical supply chains.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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