Ongoing indirect talks via Qatari and Pakistani mediators continue to shape prospects for a sustained US-Iran ceasefire. On October 12, Iranian officials stated they are reviewing Washington's latest response to Tehran's mid-September proposal on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and will reply through intermediaries once the review concludes, describing the US position as insufficient on several of Iran's seven conditions. The June memorandum of understanding, which outlined a 60-day negotiation window on navigation, sanctions relief, nuclear inspections, and reconstruction, collapsed amid mutual accusations of violations and intermittent strikes. Disagreements persist over the sequence of steps, with Tehran prioritizing Hormuz security and asset access while Washington emphasizes nuclear restrictions from the outset. Any breakthrough or renewed escalation in the coming weeks could alter the trajectory of the fragile pause that began after February 2026 strikes.