Trump ‘aware’ of Pakistan’s 2-week Iran ceasefire proposal, White House says

The White House confirmed Tuesday that President Donald Trump has been briefed on a diplomatic initiative from Pakistan requesting a two-week extension of his deadline for Iran. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Axios: “The president has been made aware of the proposal, and a response will come.” The comment follows an urgent appeal from Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who urged Trump to delay his deadline to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in order to “allow diplomacy to run its course.”

Deadline looms with catastrophic threat

The proposal comes just hours before Trump’s 8 p.m. Eastern Time (0000GMT Wednesday) deadline, after which he has threatened that “a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again.” The remarks have been widely condemned internationally as hyperbolic and dangerous. Pakistan has been quietly facilitating indirect negotiations between Washington and Tehran in an effort to end the escalating Middle East conflict.

Türkiye’s role and regional diplomacy

While Pakistan steps into a mediating role, Türkiye has also been actively engaged in diplomatic efforts to end the US-Israeli war on Iran, which has killed more than 1,400 people since February 28. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has held multiple phone calls with regional and Western leaders, urging a ceasefire and a return to diplomacy. Ankara has consistently warned that military escalation will not bring lasting security. Whether Trump accepts Pakistan’s extension proposal remains unclear, but the mere fact of the request underscores the urgency of finding a diplomatic off-ramp.