The United States, Iran and a group of regional mediators are negotiating the terms for a potential 45-day ceasefire that could lead to a permanent end to the war. The talks are taking place through Pakistani, Egyptian and Turkish mediators and through text messages sent between Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff and Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. The chances of reaching a deal over the next 48 hours are slim, but this is the only chance to prevent a dramatic escalation in the conflict, which could include massive strikes on Iranian civilian infrastructure and a retaliation against energy and water facilities in the Gulf states. The mediators also plan to consider confidence building measures Iran could do regarding the reopening of the strait of Hormuz and its highly enriched Uranium stockpile as key bargaining chips.