Pakistan is proposing a two-phase ceasefire to the escalating war in Iran ahead of US President Donald Trump’s deadline threatening to destroy the country's power sector that would lead to a massive escalation.

The pressure is on. Trump promised “irreversible damage” to Iran’s power grid by April 6, but in the last few days has extended the deadline for 48 hours to April 8. If the US were to carry through on its threat, Tehran has vowed to respond in kind and hit power and oil facilities throughout the region, massively escalating the conflict and causing damage that would take years to repair.

Pakistan has stepped in and is emerging as a key intermediator between Tehran and the US envoys. It has tabled a proposal that would lead to an immediate ceasefire before a more complicated second phase that could bring the war to an end.

Various plans have already been discussed. Trump suggested last week a 15-point plan and claimed that he was in “strong” talks with “the right people”. However, Tehran rejected that plan and claimed no talks have begun. Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei released his own three-point list of demands on March 21 that was unacceptable to the White House.

Pakistan is one of the few countries in the region with good relations with all the parties involved in the conflict and suggested its own five-point list of concessions last week together with China. Earlier Pakistan suggested a three-way meeting hosted in Islamabad which Tehran rejected. As IntelliNews reported, there is a huge gulf between the two warring parties. The latest proposal is a renewed attempt to close the gap.

While Tehran has not admitted to being in talks, according to reports, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has been swapping messages with US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in the last two days.

While the new proposal is seen as progress, commentators are sceptical that a deal can be done before Trump’s deadline expires.

Arab media report that the framework has been drawn up by Pakistan and exchanged on the evening of April 5 that includes an immediate ceasefire followed by a broader agreement that would include security guarantees and the question of control over the Strait of Hormuz.

“All elements need to be agreed today,” a source told Iran International, adding that the initial understanding would take the form of a memorandum of understanding finalized electronically through Pakistan, described as the sole communication channel in the talks.

Iran International reported that Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, had been in contact “all night long” with US Vice President JD Vance, Witkoff and Araghchi working on the deal.

The Strait of Hormuz could be opened as soon as within 15 to 20 days after a final deal is agreed, one source said. The plan is tentatively being called the “Islamabad accord” which includes the regional framework for the Strait and will be settled at a face-to-face meeting in Islamabad. Axios reported on April 5 that the initial ceasefire might last as long as 45 days while the more complicated second phase of the agreement is negotiated. There was no confirmation from either the US or Iranian officials on the proposals.

A permanent ceasefire with security guarantees against renewed attacks on Iran by either the United States or Israel have been a core demand by Tehran, which appears to be more flexible on continuing its missile programme and control over the Strait of Hormuz. According to some reports last week, Tehran would be prepared to halt its missile programme and dilute its stock of highly enriched uranium, but insists on being allowed to keep a civilian nuclear power programme.

As part of the deal it appears clear that Tehran would like to retain control over the Strait of Hormuz and has proposed to share responsibility with Oman, widely seen as a neutral player in the Gulf region.

The IRGC-linked media has been critical of the proposal which it says would be drawing up a ceasefire, “under the shadow of war,” and only give its enemies a chance to rearm and regroup.

The US-Israeli coalition and its Gulf allies are reportedly scraping the bottle of the barrel as they rapidly run out of interceptor missiles. Israel in particular has been pounded by non-stop drone and missile attacks and its Iron Dome appears to be down as widespread reports of military and industrial targets being hit came in over the weekend. At the same time Saudi Arabia is reportedly down to its last 400 in susceptible missiles having started the war with more than 2,800. On the other side of the ledger, Iran has lost about half of its arsenal, but retains thousands of missiles in mountainous caches.

Any proposal to end hostilities would have to include legally binding concrete security guarantees against renewed US and Israeli aggression against Iran, Iranian officials have said. This is a non-negotiable position according to the official announcements made so far.

According to one source talking to Reuters, a final agreement is expected to include an Iranian commitment not to pursue nuclear weapons in return for sanctions relief and the release of its frozen assets.

Pakistani sources told Iran International that Tehran has not committed to the talks involving the new proposal, despite intensified US Israeli coalition attacks on civilian and military targets over the weekend. Reports have emerged in the last days that the US has destroyed 30 of Iran's universities to undo the country's technological basis for continuing its missile and nuclear development programme.

Frustrated with the lack of military progress in the war, both Tel Aviv and Washington are reportedly shifting strategy and increasingly hitting economic and civilian infrastructure in an effort to collapse the economy and undermine Iran’s ability to maintain its military machine.

“Iran has not responded yet,” one source told Iran International, adding that proposals backed by Pakistan, China and the United States for a temporary ceasefire had so far drawn no commitment.