Pakistan PM urges Trump to delay Iran strike deadline as diplomacy advances

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday called on U.S. President Donald Trump to extend a deadline for potential large-scale strikes on Iran by two weeks, citing ongoing diplomatic efforts. “Diplomatic efforts for peaceful settlement of the ongoing war in the Middle East are progressing steadily, strongly and powerfully with the potential to lead to substantive results in near future,” Sharif said in a post on X. > Diplomatic efforts for peaceful settlement of the ongoing war in the Middle East are progressing steadily, strongly and powerfully with the potential to lead to substantive results in near future. To allow diplomacy to run its course, I earnestly request President Trump to extend… > — Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) April 7, 2026 “To allow diplomacy to run its course, I earnestly request President Trump to extend the deadline for two weeks,” he added. The appeal came hours before a deadline set by Trump to carry out what he described as the “complete demolition” of Iran’s critical infrastructure, including bridges and power plants, if no agreement was reached by midnight GMT. The White House confirmed it was aware of Pakistan’s proposal. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that the president had been informed. “The President has been made aware of the proposal, and a response will come,” Leavitt said in a statement to AFP shortly before the deadline was due to expire. A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran is positively reviewing Pakistan’s request for a two-week ceasefire, signaling a potential opening for diplomacy. Trump intensified his rhetoric on Tuesday, warning that “a whole civilization will die” if Iran did not comply with U.S. demands. In his statement, Sharif also urged Iran to keep the Strait of Hormuz open for a two-week period as a goodwill gesture. The waterway is a critical global route for oil and gas shipments. He further called on all sides involved in the conflict to observe a two-week ceasefire to allow diplomatic efforts to continue. “The ceasefire will allow diplomacy to achieve conclusive termination of war, in the interest of long-term peace and stability in the region,” Sharif said. Pakistan has positioned itself as a channel for communication between Tehran and Washington as tensions escalate in the Middle East. Officials in Islamabad have said the country is ready to host “meaningful talks” between the United States and Iran in an effort to prevent further escalation.