Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urged President Donald Trump to extend his deadline for Iran by two weeks, making the appeal just hours before Trump's ultimatum was set to expire at 8 p.m. EST on April 7.
Pakistan, which has emerged as a key mediator in the escalating Middle East conflict, proposed a comprehensive package: a two-week extension of Trump's deadline, Iran's reopening of the Strait of Hormuz for the same period, and a ceasefire by all warring parties to allow diplomatic efforts to proceed.
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
Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistani Prime Minister — Radio Free Europe
The mediation attempt came as Trump escalated his rhetoric against Iran, threatening to target the country's power plants and bridges in what he described as the "complete demolition" of critical infrastructure. His warning that "a whole civilization will die tonight" if no deal was reached drew international condemnation, including criticism from Pope Leo who called the statement "truly unacceptable."
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Trump had been briefed on Pakistan's proposal, stating that "a response would come." Reuters reported that an unnamed senior Iranian official said Tehran was "positively reviewing" the ceasefire request while maintaining readiness for both peace and war.
RFE/RL frames the story as a diplomatic race against time, emphasizing Pakistan's mediation role while presenting Trump's threats as escalatory rhetoric. Their coverage highlights international criticism of Trump's language while maintaining focus on the procedural aspects of deadline extensions and negotiation dynamics.