Pakistan appeals to Trump to extend deadline, Iran to reopen Hormuz Strait
Why it matters: Pakistan's 11th-hour appeal seeks to extend a critical deadline for an Iran deal by two weeks, impacting global oil flow through the Strait of Hormuz.
- Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif appealed to President Trump to extend the Iran deal deadline by two weeks and urged Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz as a goodwill gesture, citing strong diplomatic progress.
- Sharif also called for a two-week ceasefire from all warring parties to allow diplomacy to achieve a conclusive end to the conflict.
- White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Trump is aware of Pakistan's proposal, and a response is forthcoming.
- A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran is positively reviewing Pakistan's request.
- President Trump had previously escalated rhetoric, suggesting the US would destroy Iranian "civilization" if Iran did not fully open the Strait of Hormuz and submit to his terms.
- Iran has nearly halted maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for one-fifth of the world's oil, in retaliation for US-Israeli attacks.
- An anonymous Pakistani source told Al Jazeera that despite detractors attempting to sabotage efforts, a deal remained possible until the last minute, with Islamabad committed to keeping all dialogue channels open.
- Israel continued to strike railways and bridges in Iran as diplomatic efforts intensified.
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has made an urgent appeal to President Trump to extend his deadline for an Iran deal by two weeks and to Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, citing significant progress in diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the US-Israeli war on Iran. While Trump's administration is aware of the proposal and Iran is positively reviewing it, Trump had previously escalated rhetoric, threatening to destroy Iranian "civilization" if his terms were not met and the Strait of Hormuz remained closed.
