Islamabad/Washington – Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has formally requested U.S. President Donald Trump to grant a two-week extension to the deadline for Iran to lift its blockade of Gulf oil shipments, aiming to give diplomacy a chance to succeed.
Sharif called on Iran to reciprocate the gesture by reopening the Strait of Hormuz during the same period and urged all warring parties to observe a temporary ceasefire to allow talks to produce meaningful results.
“Diplomatic efforts are progressing steadily and strongly, with the potential to achieve substantive results in the near future,” Sharif said in a post on X, stressing the need for patience and restraint.
Trump had previously warned Iran that if it failed to comply by 8 p.m. EDT (0000 GMT) in Washington / 3:30 a.m. in Tehran, the United States would destroy bridges and power plants across the country. Recent Iranian attacks on Saudi industrial facilities had put U.S.-Iran negotiations at risk, sources told Reuters.
Pakistan has acted as a key intermediary, relaying proposals between Tehran and Washington, though no compromise has yet been reached. The White House did not immediately respond to Sharif’s request.
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