American and Iranian officials are exploring a possible agreement that would link a ceasefire to Iran reopening the Strait of Hormuz, according to three U.S. officials who spoke with Axios.

The officials said it remains uncertain whether the discussions are happening directly or through intermediaries, and warned that there is no guarantee an agreement will materialize. They added that President Donald Trump has been actively reviewing the idea with advisers both inside and outside his administration.

According to two sources familiar with the matter, Trump discussed the concept of a ceasefire during a Wednesday phone call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. He also held a separate conversation with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed.

Behind the scenes, Vice President JD Vance has continued engaging with mediators about a possible ceasefire, including as recently as Tuesday, a source said.

That source indicated Vance relayed a message through intermediaries that the United States would be open to a ceasefire under certain conditions, chief among them the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. At the same time, Vance reinforced Trump’s warning that Iranian infrastructure could be targeted if negotiations fail.

Trump said publicly on Wednesday that Iran had reached out to request a ceasefire, but emphasized that any such arrangement would hinge on reopening the vital waterway.

A similar proposal was put forward Tuesday by China and Pakistan as part of a broader peace initiative.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry quickly pushed back on Trump’s claim, insisting that no direct talks are taking place between Tehran and Washington.

It is possible Trump was referencing comments made Tuesday by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian during a call with European Council President António Costa.

Pezeshkian indicated that Iran would be willing to halt the fighting, provided the United States stops its attacks and offers assurances that hostilities would not resume.

“Iran’s New Regime President, much less Radicalized and far more intelligent than his predecessors, has just asked the United States of America for a CEASEFIRE! We will consider when Hormuz Strait is open, free, and clear,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

He added that, absent such a development, the U.S. would continue “blasting Iran into oblivion or, as they say, back to the Stone Ages!!!”

An Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson dismissed Trump’s remarks, calling them “false and baseless”

Despite Trump’s reference to a “new” leadership, Pezeshkian was already in office prior to the outbreak of the war, and many analysts believe more hardline elements within Iran are currently directing policy.

Looking ahead, Trump has repeatedly signaled that the conflict could conclude in the near future, though he has not ruled out the possibility of a ground campaign.

Israel and several Gulf nations, including Saudi Arabia, are pressing the administration to maintain pressure, while some officials within the White House are quietly exploring ways to de-escalate.

Trump is scheduled to deliver a national address on Iran at 9 p.m. Eastern Time.