TEHRAN : The United States and Iran are exchanging proposals to end the war that erupted more than two months ago, as a relative calm has taken hold following days of sporadic clashes.

Washington is awaiting Tehran’s response to its latest proposals, with US President Donald Trump having earlier affirmed that the ceasefire announced on 7 April 2026 remains in effect.

The war has disrupted energy markets, trade and maritime shipping, posing a mounting threat to the global economy.

Pakistan has reaffirmed its continued mediation efforts between Iran and the United States to bring a definitive end to the war, which began with a US‑Israeli attack on Iran on 28 February 2026.

Washington has handed Pakistani mediators a proposal to extend the ceasefire, allowing for negotiations to resolve the conflict.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei confirmed to Iranian state television that the proposal is still under consideration.

According to US media reports, the proposal includes lifting the naval blockade on Iranian ports, restoring maritime security in the Middle East, and agreeing on a framework for negotiations over Iran’s nuclear file.

In a related development, the UK Ministry of Defence announced it was sending a Royal Navy warship to the Middle East to take part in an international mission to protect navigation in the region.

The destroyer HMS Dragon, a Type 45 vessel, will be stationed in the area as part of what the ministry described as a “purely defensive and independent” mission.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, in coordination with French President Emmanuel Macron, had previously said the maritime protection mission would begin after the fighting in the region ends.

HMS Dragon is one of the Britain’s most advanced warships, specialising in air and missile defence.

The ministry said the deployment was part of “contingency planning”, allowing British forces to take part immediately in any multinational defensive mission in the Middle East if needed.

Fifty‑one countries took part in talks last month on protecting commercial navigation in the region.

In Lebanon, the ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel is under severe strain, with daily exchanges of fire.

After an initial round of ambassadorial‑level talks in Washington, the US President announced a ceasefire that came into force on 17 April 2026. The truce was originally set to last ten days, but the president announced a three‑week extension after a second round of White House talks.