With war raging in the Middle East, we want to bring you as many trusted voices on the news as we can. One such voice is the Israeli journalist Amit Segal. He writes a daily newsletter, It’s Noon in Israel, which we’re pleased to publish in The Free Press.
Donald Trump has issued a 24-hour extension, giving the Iranian regime until tomorrow at 8 p.m. ET to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The extension appears to be tied to the prospect of negotiations. According to sources familiar with the talks in Islamabad, Pakistan, the United States and Iran are discussing terms for a potential 45-day ceasefire that could lead to a permanent end to the war.
The mediators are discussing a two-stage framework:
Stage 1: A 45-day ceasefire during which negotiations would take place to end the war.
Stage 2: A final agreement to officially end the conflict.
This proposal strikes a somewhat dissonant tone. For the past two weeks, reports of negotiations have spanned from outright denial to thoroughly unenthusiastic. Apart from Trump’s triumphalist rhetoric claiming Iran is begging for peace, there has been very little indication that a deal is actually forthcoming. The sources familiar with the talks are largely in harmony with previous statements: According to them, the chances of reaching even a partial agreement in the next 48 hours are low.
