Washington and Tehran, with the active participation of regional mediators, have begun a decisive round of secret consultations aimed at preventing an uncontrolled escalation of the military conflict. The parties are discussing the possibility of establishing a temporary 45-day ceasefire, which, according to diplomats, should be the first step toward a full-fledged peace agreement. This initiative is viewed by the international community as essentially the last chance to prevent the war from escalating into a phase of mutual destruction of critical civilian infrastructure. Experts warn that if the negotiations fail, the next wave of escalation will inevitably affect not only Iran's industrial facilities but also key energy hubs in the Persian Gulf countries, triggering a global economic crisis.

The proposed two-stage settlement plan initially entails a complete freeze in hostilities, followed by detailed discussions of the terms of a final peace. However, the implementation of this scenario is hampered by fundamental disagreements over two key issues: the status of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and the fate of Iran's accumulated enriched uranium stockpiles. The United States continues to escalate military and economic pressure, making it clear that a forceful solution remains on the agenda. Tehran, for its part, is demanding firm international guarantees that the temporary pause in hostilities will not be used by the American side to regroup its forces and prepare new, even more destructive strikes against Iranian territory.