The cease-fire between the United States and Iran, barely seven weeks old, is on the verge of collapse. Mediators from Pakistan and Qatar are now scrambling to negotiate a temporary extension that would prevent a return to active hostilities, including the possibility of US-Israeli strikes on Iranian targets.
What’s happening on the ground
The original cease-fire was brokered by Pakistan and took effect on April 8, 2026, following six weeks of escalating conflict between Washington and Tehran.
By May 22, 2026, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir of Pakistan led a delegation to Tehran, with Qatari officials also involved, to push for an extension of the agreement. Intermittent fighting has persisted throughout May, and the original terms of the cease-fire appear to be fraying at every seam.
President Donald Trump described the cease-fire as being on “massive life support” after rejecting Iranian proposals for a broader peace framework.
