Economy March 24, 2026

Back-channel talks aim to secure month-long U.S.-Iran ceasefire via 15-point framework

Private mediators pursue a temporary halt to hostilities tied to a detailed plan covering nuclear access, missiles and maritime routes

By Leila Farooq
Back-channel talks aim to secure month-long U.S.-Iran ceasefire via 15-point framework

Israeli Channel 12 and The New York Times report that private intermediaries are working to establish a one-month ceasefire between the United States and Iran linked to a 15-point plan. The proposal would allow intensive negotiations during a month-long pause in fighting and includes provisions for full International Atomic Energy Agency access and the handover of enriched uranium. Pakistan’s army chief has emerged as a key conduit in delivering the plan to Iran; it is unclear how broadly Tehran has circulated the proposal or whether Israel supports it.

Key Points

  • Private mediators, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, are reported to be developing a month-long ceasefire mechanism tied to a 15-point negotiation plan - sectors impacted: defense, diplomatic relations.
  • The 15-point plan reportedly includes granting the International Atomic Energy Agency full access to information and transferring enriched uranium to the agency, and addresses Iran’s ballistic missile and nuclear programs - sectors impacted: nuclear oversight, defense, energy markets.
  • Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, is serving as a key intermediary delivering the U.S. plan to Iran; Egypt and Turkey have encouraged Iran to engage constructively - sectors impacted: regional diplomacy, geopolitical risk for markets.

Diplomatic maneuvering is underway to try to secure a one-month ceasefire between the United States and Iran, Israeli Channel 12 reported on Tuesday. Sources cited by the outlet say private figures are structuring an arrangement that would mirror earlier ceasefire frameworks used in Gaza and Lebanon.

According to the Channel 12 report, real estate investor Steve Witkoff and former White House adviser Jared Kushner are helping craft the deal architecture. The plan would create a month-long pause in hostilities during which negotiators would work through a 15-point agreement intended to address core security and proliferation concerns.

The 15-point agenda, as described in Channel 12’s account, includes a clause to grant the International Atomic Energy Agency full access to all relevant information and a provision for the transfer of enriched uranium to the agency. Those elements are presented as central terms to be resolved within the proposed month-long window.

In parallel coverage, The New York Times reported that the United States has transmitted a 15-point proposal to Iran. The report said the document was delivered via Pakistan, where the army chief has taken on a prominent intermediary role between Washington and Tehran. The Times account quoted officials who described the plan as addressing Iran’s ballistic missile and nuclear programs; a separate official also noted that maritime routes are part of the discussion.

Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Pakistan’s army chief, is portrayed in these reports as the principal interlocutor connecting the two governments. Officials cited by The New York Times said Egypt and Turkey have been encouraging Iran to engage constructively with the initiative. The reports also indicate Field Marshal Munir is believed to retain close ties with Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps.

As part of his shuttle diplomacy, Munir reportedly reached out to Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, speaker of Iran’s Parliament and a former Revolutionary Guards commander, proposing that Pakistan host talks between Iran and the United States, according to an Iranian official and a Pakistani official.

Significant unknowns remain. It is not yet clear how broadly the 15-point plan has been shared among Iranian decision-makers or whether Tehran would accept the proposal as a formal basis for negotiations. Separate reporting also leaves open whether Israel - which, the reports note, has been conducting bombing operations against Iran together with the United States - supports the proposed ceasefire mechanism.


Contextual note: The accounts cited outline a diplomatic channel that relies on a month-long halt to hostilities to create space for negotiating detailed security measures. The outcome depends on both the internal reception of the plan in Tehran and the position of regional and allied actors.

Risks

  • Uncertainty over Iran’s internal acceptance - it is unclear how widely the 15-point plan has been shared among Iranian officials or whether Iran will accept it as a negotiating basis. Impacted sectors: energy, defense, international markets.
  • Unknown support from Israel - reporting does not make clear whether Israel endorses the proposal, despite its ongoing bombing operations against Iran together with the United States. Impacted sectors: defense, regional security.
  • Reliance on a single intermediary and regional backchannels - the plan’s transmission via Pakistan and heavy reliance on Pakistan’s army chief as interlocutor introduces execution risk and potential perception challenges. Impacted sectors: diplomatic relations, trade routes and shipping.

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