Pakistan Urges Two-Week Ceasefire as Trump’s Iran Deadline Looms

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called on US President Donald Trump to extend a looming deadline on Iran by two weeks, while appealing to Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz as a goodwill gesture and urging all parties to observe an immediate ceasefire.

In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), Sharif said diplomatic efforts to resolve the ongoing Middle East conflict “are progressing steadily, strongly and powerfully” with the potential for “substantive results in the near future.”

“To allow diplomacy to run its course, I earnestly request President Trump to extend the deadline for two weeks,” Sharif wrote.

“Pakistan, in all sincerity, requests the Iranian brothers to open Strait of Hormuz for a corresponding period of two weeks as a goodwill gesture. We also urge all warring parties to observe a ceasefire everywhere for two weeks to allow diplomacy to achieve conclusive termination of war, in the interest of long-term peace and stability in the region.”

The appeal comes just hours before Trump’s latest deadline, set for 8 p.m. EDT (0000 GMT) on Tuesday, for Iran to fully reopen the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz or face escalated US military action, including potential strikes on Iranian infrastructure.

The narrow waterway, through which roughly one-fifth of global oil shipments normally pass, has been largely blocked by Iran since the escalation of the US-Israeli conflict with Tehran earlier this year. The closure has triggered sharp spikes in global energy prices and disrupted supply chains.

Pakistan has positioned itself as a key mediator in the crisis, leveraging its relations with both Washington and Tehran. Sharif’s proposal aims to create a short-term de-escalation window that could pave the way for broader negotiations on sanctions relief, nuclear issues, and regional security.

The White House has confirmed that President Trump is aware of Pakistan’s request and that “a response will come.” Trump has previously described Sharif positively, calling him a “highly respected man.”