Iran refuses to reopen Strait of Hormuz in exchange for temporary ceasefire

Iran will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for a temporary ceasefire, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on April 6, saying Tehran does not believe Washington is prepared to agree to a permanent end to hostilities.

The official said Iran had received a proposal from Pakistan for an immediate ceasefire and was reviewing it, but rejected what it described as pressure to accept deadlines or make a rushed decision.

The comments come amid diplomatic efforts to halt escalating tensions between Iran and the United States. Both sides have been presented with a framework aimed at ending the hostilities through a two-stage process: an initial ceasefire followed by negotiations on a comprehensive agreement.

Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, has been in contact with senior officials from both countries, including U.S. Vice President JD Vance, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, a source familiar with the discussions said on April 6.

Earlier, Axios reported that U.S., Israeli and regional sources were discussing a potential 45-day ceasefire as part of a broader two-phase deal that could eventually lead to a permanent settlement.

On April 5, U.S. President Donald Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform that further strikes on Iranian energy and transport infrastructure could follow if Iran did not agree to a deal and reopen the strait by April 7.

By Sabina Mammadli