Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif requested US President Donald Trump extend the deadline for Iran to end its blockade of Gulf oil by two weeks. The extension would allow diplomacy to continue and include goodwill gesture from Iran, opening Strait of Hormuz for two weeks.
Trump had imposed a deadline until 8:00 p.m. EDT (0000 GMT) in Washington – 3:30 a.m. Tehran – for Iran to end its blockade or face US retaliation by destroying bridges and power plants in Iran.
PM Sharif urged all warring parties to observe a ceasefire for two weeks, allowing diplomacy to achieve conclusive termination of the war. He stated that diplomatic efforts were progressing steadily with potential for substantive results soon.
The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Sources told Reuters on Tuesday that talks between US and Iran were at risk due to Tehran’s attacks on Saudi Arabian industrial facilities.
US media outlet Axios reported later that White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt had informed Trump of the request, saying a response would follow. A senior Iranian official quoted Reuters as stating Iran was positively reviewing Pakistan’s proposal.