Mediators Offer Iran 10-Day Ceasefire as US Expands Airstrikes and Tehran Hits Gulf Targets
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jul 20
Mediators Offer Iran 10-Day Ceasefire as US Expands Airstrikes and Tehran Hits Gulf Targets
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jul 20
Summary
A 10-day ceasefire proposal has been passed to Iran by mediators, with the aim of creating space to revive the MoU despite active fighting.
US forces widened their aerial campaign to hit command centers, air defenses, maritime assets, missile and drone launch sites, and communications networks, while Iranian media reported strikes near Tabriz and Bushehr.
Iran answered with attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait and strikes on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, a route that carried about a fifth of global oil and gas supplies before the war; Yemen's Houthis also declared a blockade of Saudi ports.
Masoud Pezeshkian called the conflict a full-scale war, but Tehran said its diplomatic apparatus remained active and had received messages from mediators.
Marco Rubio said Washington was still open to negotiations if they were real, underscoring that diplomacy remains possible even as the regional conflict broadens.
How is Iran's military rebuilding faster than US intelligence predicted after being declared crippled?
Why did a $300 billion peace deal collapse into a 'full-scale war' in just a few weeks?
With 70% of its people in poverty, can Iran sustain a war without facing an internal collapse?
On the Brink: 100 Days of Iran–US War, Ceasefire Hopes, and the Strait of Hormuz Crisis
Overview
As of July 20, 2026, mediators have presented Iran with a proposal for a 10-day ceasefire to de-escalate the conflict with the United States. This diplomatic effort, confirmed by both Iranian officials and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, aims to halt ongoing hostilities and revive an interim deal reached last month. The plan, primarily channeled through Pakistan and Qatar, also includes reopening the vital Strait of Hormuz for 10 days. These coordinated steps are designed to create a crucial window for reducing tensions and exploring a path toward broader diplomatic solutions.