The United States and Iran have reached a preliminary agreement to extend their ceasefire for another 60 days and ease restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, according to sources cited by Reuters.

The proposed deal, which still requires approval from U.S. President Donald Trump and Iranian leadership, would mark the most significant step toward de-escalation since the conflict began on February 28.

Sources familiar with the negotiations said the agreement would allow unrestricted maritime traffic through the strategic waterway while talks continue on key issues, including Iran’s nuclear program, sanctions relief, and regional security concerns.

Iranian state media reported that the text of the agreement has not yet been finalized, while U.S. Vice President JD Vance said Washington was “very close” to securing a deal but cautioned that no guarantees could yet be made.

The reports came amid renewed military tensions, including U.S. strikes on Iranian drones near Bandar Abbas and Iran’s retaliatory threats against American forces in the region. Kuwait also reported intercepting a ballistic missile fired toward its territory.

The Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global oil and gas supplies, remains central to the negotiations. News of the possible agreement contributed to a decline in oil prices amid hopes of reduced regional tensions.

Meanwhile, indirect diplomatic efforts continue, with Pakistan expected to hold talks with senior U.S. officials in Washington aimed at supporting mediation efforts.

Norway will open talks with France on joining its nuclear umbrella, French President Emmanuel Macron and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere said on ​Wednesday, reflecting growing European concerns about relying on the United States for security, Reuters reported.

The move ‌signals a shift by Norway, long a staunch Atlanticist that has relied heavily on NATO and the U.S. nuclear umbrella, towards closer defence cooperation within Europe.

Macron and Stoere announced the plan at a meeting in Paris, where they ​also signed a broader defence agreement which includes Norway joining a French-led nuclear weapons initiative.

Stoere ​said Norway’s primary deterrence would remain the NATO alliance and the United States, but ⁠described France’s nuclear capabilities as “an important contribution” to the alliance’s overall posture.

“France’s capabilities are an important ​contribution to NATO’s deterrence posture, which is important for us,” Stoere said.

Under the plan, Norway would take ​part in what France calls “forward nuclear deterrence”, under which European partners are more closely involved in French strategic thinking on nuclear defence.

“This agreement establishes a principle of mutual assistance between our two countries,” Macron said, adding that deeper ​cooperation would support Europe’s ambitions for greater strategic autonomy.

The initiative comes as European countries seek to strengthen ​their own defence capabilities amid doubts about long-term U.S. commitments and heightened tensions with Russia.

In March, France offered to extend ‌the ⁠protection of its nuclear umbrella to other European countries which, in practice, means that an attack on a country could trigger a French nuclear response, read the report.

Norway becomes the latest country to receive France’s nuclear protection, after Poland and Lithuania, which also share borders with Russia.

Stoere told Norwegian news agency NTB earlier on Wednesday that ​no nuclear weapons will ​be deployed in Norway ⁠in peacetime.

The Nordic nation of 5.6 million inhabitants is a member of NATO, but not of the European Union, and shares a border with Russia ​in the Arctic.

“This closer cooperation will make European and transatlantic security stronger. ​Together, we are ⁠enabling a burden shift. It was long before Trump that this became necessary, that Europe had to pay more and do … wiser investments, not only country by country, but coordinated,” Stoere said.

Russia and the U.S. ⁠are the ​world’s biggest nuclear powers, with over 5,000 nuclear warheads each. ​China has about 600, France has 290 and Britain 225, according to the Federation of American Scientists.

A chemical tank imploded and ruptured at a Nippon Dynawave Packaging facility ​in the U.S. state of Washington on Tuesday, resulting in one death and nine ‌injuries, while nine others remained unaccounted for as of Tuesday night, authorities said.

A joint written statement with Nippon and the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Department said a tank containing “white liquor,” a chemical solution of sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide ​used in making paper pulp, had ruptured around 7:15 a.m. local time (1415 GMT), Reuters reported.

While the ​tank was initially believed to hold around 80,000 gallons (302,830 litres), officials later said ⁠it contained closer to 900,000 gallons of white liquor, with an estimated 90,000 gallons of material ​still inside the damaged tank.

Recovery efforts would resume on Wednesday at the site in the city of ​Longview in Cowlitz County, about 45 miles (72 km) north of Portland, Oregon, as the tank remained unstable, Longview Fire Department Battalion Chief Matt Amos said during a media briefing.

The injured, some critical, included eight employees of the facility ​as well as one firefighter, Amos said, adding that the firefighter had been treated and released.

Authorities ​had earlier said that multiple patients suffered from chemical burns.

Officials reiterated in the evening that the implosion posed “no ‌direct threat ⁠to the surrounding community.”

At the media briefing, Washington state Governor Bob Ferguson said: “It’s difficult always to find the words at a time like this … Our thoughts and our prayers are with everybody impacted by this tragedy.”

PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center in Longview told ABC News earlier in the day ​that six of the patients ​were in fair ⁠condition.

Nippon Paper Industries, Japan’s second-biggest paper manufacturer by sales, acquired the Longview plant from Seattle-based timber company Weyerhaeuser for $225 million and established the wholly-owned subsidiary ​Nippon Dynawave Packaging in 2016.

Japanese media reported that no injury was confirmed ​among Japanese employees, ⁠citing the Consulate-General of Japan in Seattle.

In southern California, meanwhile, authorities have been monitoring an overheating industrial tank containing highly flammable methyl methacrylate. The worst-case possibility of an explosion was ruled out on Monday at ⁠the GKN ​Aerospace facility in Garden Grove after a crack relieved ​some of the mounting pressure, officials said.