Pakistan Requests 2-Week Pause as Trump Iran Deadline Nears
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday asked US President Donald Trump to extend by two weeks his ultimatum to Iran to reach a deal that includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz. In a post on X, Sharif also asked Iran to open the strait for two weeks “as a gesture of goodwill,” and urged a two-week ceasefire to give diplomacy time to achieve a convincing end to the war.
The public appeal from Pakistan—which is said to be acting as a mediator—came just hours before Trump’s 8:00 p.m. ET deadline. Trump threatened that Iran must agree to a deal or face major attacks on its civilian infrastructure, which reports said could constitute war crimes.
On Tuesday morning, Trump escalated his rhetoric via Truth Social, warning that “an entire civilization will die tonight” if no deal is reached. But he also left open the possibility of a breakthrough, stating that a change in leadership in Iran could open the door to “something extraordinary” and adding that the outcome would be known “tonight.”
In response to Sharif's request, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told CNBC that the president was aware of the proposal and that a "response is coming." Trump's threat came after US forces attacked military targets on Kharg Island, a key Iranian oil export terminal, a White House official confirmed to CNBC the previous night.
Amid reports of new US and Israeli attacks, the status of diplomatic efforts reportedly produced conflicting signals. Sharif wrote that diplomatic efforts toward a peaceful resolution were "progressing steadily" and tagged several key US and Iranian officials in his post.
Trump's statement sparked a strong reaction from his political opponents in the US and some close to his political movement. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries called on Congress to immediately end the "war of choice" in Iran and warned of the risk of a broader escalation.
