The United States and Iran, with intermediaries from Pakistan, Egypt, and Turkey, are negotiating a tentative 45-day ceasefire, seen as a critical step to prevent further escalation in the region. The deal comes as military strikes across Iran have already claimed dozens of lives.
Negotiations extend amid ultimatum
Sources speaking to Axios reveal that US President Donald Trump extended a 10-day ultimatum to Iran by an additional 20 hours, describing the talks as “deep” and expressing cautious optimism. “There’s a good chance, but if they don’t make a deal, I’ll wipe it all out,” Trump reportedly stated.
The discussions reportedly involve a two-stage plan: a 45-day ceasefire with the possibility of extension, followed by negotiations for a complete end to hostilities. Intermediaries emphasise that a full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and resolution of Iran’s highly enriched uranium programme could only be achieved through a final agreement.
Casualties mount in recent strikes
Recent attacks by the US and Israel across Iranian territory have killed 34 people. In Tehran’s Baharistan district, airstrikes on residential areas reportedly killed 13 civilians. Overnight attacks in the Shehriar district claimed six lives, with four more fatalities reported on the city’s eastern side.
In the central city of Qom, civilian buildings were struck, leaving five dead. Meanwhile, in Bandar-e Lenge in Hormozgan province along the Persian Gulf coast, six people were killed and 17 injured in attacks on residential areas.
North Korea repositions amid conflict
South Korean lawmakers citing intelligence sources report that North Korea appears to be distancing itself from its long-standing ally Iran, carefully calibrating its public rhetoric to preserve potential ties with the US after the Iranian conflict.
The National Intelligence Service (NIS) in Seoul stated that since the conflict erupted on February 28, Pyongyang has sent neither weapons nor aid to Iran and has refrained from publicly mourning the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, killed in an airstrike. North Korea also did not acknowledge the appointment of Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba, as Iran’s new Supreme Leader.
While China and Russia have frequently issued statements on the conflict, North Korea’s Foreign Ministry has released only two measured remarks. According to NIS, this restraint reflects Pyongyang’s strategy to avoid directly criticising President Trump and to prepare for a new diplomatic opening ahead of the expected May summit between Xi Jinping and Trump.
Economic pressures and diplomatic signalling
North Korea has faced severe economic strains from the Middle East crisis, including disruptions in industrial raw materials, rising prices, and currency fluctuations, NIS reported. The country has also reportedly sought Russian oil supplies.
At the Ninth Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea in late February, Kim Jong Un indicated a willingness to negotiate with Washington, suggesting there was “no reason” for hostilities if the US recognised North Korea’s nuclear status and ceased hostile policies. Analysts interpret this as a deliberate signal from Kim to maintain favourable relations with Trump and prepare for a new diplomatic phase after the Middle East conflict subsides.
