After nine consecutive nights of U.S. and Iranian strikes, international mediators are reportedly pushing a proposal for a 10-day ceasefire aimed at halting the escalating conflict and creating an opportunity to restart diplomatic negotiations between Washington and Tehran.

According to Reuters, a senior Iranian official said mediating countries have proposed that both sides suspend military operations for 10 days in an effort to revive previous understandings and reopen talks over the ongoing crisis.

Both Washington and Tehran have recently signaled they remain open to diplomacy despite the continued fighting. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States remains “open to a diplomatic solution,” while Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Iran sees no contradiction between pursuing negotiations and continuing military operations, describing both as tools to protect the country’s national interests.

Despite the diplomatic efforts, hostilities continued overnight. The United States launched its ninth consecutive night of strikes against Iranian military targets, while Iran responded with attacks toward Bahrain and Kuwait.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed that two oil tankers exploded and were disabled after attempting to transit the southern route of the Strait of Hormuz, which Tehran says is not an authorized shipping lane. The reported incident has heightened concerns over maritime security and global energy supplies as fighting and diplomatic efforts continue simultaneously.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)