The fragile ceasefire between Iran and the United States is due to run out by Wednesday, and a long-term agreement is yet to be finalised by the two sides. According to reports, Iran has received new proposals from the United States, and Pakistani mediators are working to arrange another round of direct negotiations. However, there is no clarity on whether a breakthrough can be achieved before the deadline, with three major sticking points still unresolved.Check Live UpdatesHere

Strait of Hormuz-The reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the control over the critical waterway through which 20-25 per cent of world's total oil trade takes places has been a major sticking point between Tehran and Washington. There was a sigh of relief when Iran on Friday announced to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in response to Israel-Lebanon truce. However, the reprieve was short-lived. Iran on Saturday closed the waterway in retaliation to US naval blockade.

Iranian parliamentary Speaker Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf said in a televised interview that Tehran would continue to threaten commercial vessels transiting the critical waterway, after it fired on ships attempting to pass on Saturday. "It is impossible for others to pass through the Strait of Hormuz while we cannot," Ghalibaf, who is Iran's chief negotiator in talks with the United States, said.

Iran’s Uranium Stockpiles-US President Donald Trump had suggested earlier this week that Iran agreed to ship its stockpile of highly enriched uranium to the US. However, the claim was quickly rebuked by a senior Iranian official who said the demand was a "non-starter."

Iran reportedly has about 400 kilograms of 60% enriched uranium.

However, a proposal has been floated that involves unfreezing Iranian assets in exchange for Tehran turning over its stockpile, according to international media reports.

Curbs onUranium Enrichment-The length of any suspension to Iran’s enrichment program remains another point of contention between Tehran and Washington. The issue was also one of the many reasons behind the failure of Islamabad talks. While the American negotiators had proposed a 20-year pause on Iran's enrichment of uranium, Iran had responded with a proposal for a five-year suspension, which the US has rejected, according to a US official, quoted by media portals.

"But the simple fact is that we need to see an affirmative commitment that they will not seek a nuclear weapon, and they will not seek the tools that would enable them to quickly achieve a nuclear weapon," US Vice President JD Vance told reporters after Islamabad Talks concluded without an agreement. "That is the core goal of the president of the United States. And that’s what we’ve tried to achieve through these negotiations."

Apoorva Shukla is a journalist at Times Now, where she thrives on dissecting political developments both at home and abroad. A graduate of Delhi Univ...View More

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