A US official told Axios that the Trump administration had made several overtures to Iran in recent days, but Iranian officials had not accepted any of them "yet." Sources believe the likelihood of a deal between the two sides within the next 48 hours was low. Trump previously threatened to destroy power plants and bridges on Tuesday and demanded the opening of the Strait of Hormuz.
According to the publication, a two-stage deal to end the conflict is currently being discussed: the first phase involves a 45-day ceasefire, during which the terms of a final peace will be discussed. Sources also say the ceasefire could be extended if the parties require more time for negotiations. The second stage involves concluding an agreement to end the war.
Axios sources believe that the issues of fully opening the Strait of Hormuz and Iran's possession of highly enriched uranium can only be resolved as part of a final deal.
Furthermore, according to the publication, the mediators are working on confidence-building measures for the US, exploring steps the US could take to satisfy some of Iran's demands.
Trump told the outlet on Sunday that the US was "in deep negotiations" with Iran and that a deal could be reached as early as Tuesday.
Trump previously said that Washington and Tehran had held productive talks. The Iranian Foreign Ministry denied direct dialogue, but stated that Tehran had received messages through intermediaries about Washington's desire to initiate dialogue to end the conflict.
On February 28, the US and Israel began striking targets in Iran, including Tehran. Iran is carrying out retaliatory strikes on Israeli territory, as well as on US military facilities in the Middle East.