Muslim Nuclear Giant 'Steps In', US and Iran Finally Agree on This

Pakistan has launched a last-minute diplomatic effort by sending a request to US President Donald Trump to postpone the deadline for the agreement with Iran by two weeks. Citing Al Jazeera, this step is aimed at preventing further escalation while persuading Tehran to promptly reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global energy route. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stated that diplomatic efforts for a peaceful resolution to the ongoing war in the Middle East are showing steady and strong progress. Sharif assessed that this process has great potential to yield substantive results in the near future for regional stability. “To allow diplomacy to proceed properly, I earnestly request President Trump to extend the deadline (for a major attack on Iran) by two weeks,” Sharif wrote in a post on social media platform X on Tuesday (07/04/2026). In the same message, Sharif also urged Iran to fully open the Strait of Hormuz during those two weeks as a gesture of goodwill. Additionally, he called on all conflicting parties to implement a ceasefire across all fronts to give space for diplomacy to achieve a conclusive end to the war for long-term peace. In response to the proposal, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt gave a signal that Washington is considering Islamabad’s offer. Leavitt stated that President Trump is already aware of Pakistan’s proposal and an official response will be given shortly. On the other hand, a senior Iranian official also provided a positive response to Pakistan’s efforts. Speaking to Reuters news agency, the unnamed official revealed that Tehran is currently reviewing the request positively to ease tensions. Sharif’s message emerged just hours before the deadline set by Trump expired. Earlier on Tuesday, Trump escalated his rhetoric through a post on Truth Social, threatening to destroy Iranian civilisation if Tehran does not immediately open the Strait of Hormuz by the proposed deadline, namely Tuesday, 8 March 2026, at 20:00 Eastern Time. Iran itself has halted almost all maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation for US-Israeli attacks on its territory since 28 February. However, that waterway is a distribution route for one-fifth of the world’s crude oil and liquefied natural gas, which is crucial for the global economy. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, in an official statement, vowed to continue disrupting oil and gas supplies for years if their demands are not met. They emphasised that the period of restraint has ended and warned of broader consequences if US military crosses their red lines. “Our response will extend beyond the region if the US military crosses our red lines,” the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps stated in a written statement. A Pakistani source told Al Jazeera that although there are parties trying to sabotage de-escalation efforts, the chance for an agreement remains on the table until the last minute. The source emphasised that despite the situation being at a dangerous escalation, Islamabad remains committed to keeping all channels of communication open with all parties. However, amid the intensity of these diplomatic efforts, the situation on the ground remains heated, with reports of Israel attacking railway lines and bridges in several Iranian regions. Conversely, Iranian forces have also launched attacks on targets across the region, including in Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. Trump’s threats to destroy Iranian civilian infrastructure, including bridges and power plants, have drawn sharp criticism from international law experts for potentially constituting war crimes. US law expert and Yale University professor Oona Hathaway assessed that Trump’s social media post regarding the destruction of Iranian civilisation could serve as strong evidence in an international court. “It may not be in 3 years or 5 years or 10 years, but ultimately, those responsible must be held accountable,” Hathaway said in a social media post.