Pakistan appeals to Trump to extend deadline, Iran to reopen Hormuz Strait | US-Israel war on Iran News | Al Jazeera

## Summary
Listen Listen (4 mins) Save Click here to share on social media share2 Share facebook twitter whatsapp copylink google Add Al Jazeera on Google info Islamabad has emerged as a new key mediator in the ongoing war in the middle East [File: Hasnoor Hussain/Reuters] By Al Jazeera Staff Published On 7 Apr 2026 7 Apr 2026 Pakistan has made an 11-hour appeal to United States President Donald Trump to push back his deadline for an Iran deal by two weeks, and to Tehran to open the Strait of Hormuz during the same period, citing progress in a diplomatic push to end the US-Israel war on Iran. “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,” Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif wrote in a post on X on Tuesday, just a few hours before the deadline Trump has set for Iranian authorities. Recommended Stories list of 3 items list 1 of 3 The US could still try to play the ethnic card in Iran list 2 of 3 Trump warns deadline ‘final’ as Iran pushes proposal to end war list 3 of 3 How Pakistan’s solar boom is shielding it from worst of Iran war crisis end of list “To allow diplomacy to run its course, I earnestly request President Trump to extend the deadline for two weeks,” he said, while also calling on Iran to fully open the Strait of Hormuz for the same 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,” he added. Sharif’s message came a few hours before the end of the deadline imposed by Trump, who earlier on Tuesday escalated his rhetoric by suggesting in a Truth Social post that the US would destroy the Iranian “civilization” if Tehran does not fully open the Strait of Hormuz and submit to his terms. Oona Hathaway, a US legal scholar and professor at Yale University, said that if Trump carries out his threat, his Truth Social post on the death of the Iranian civilisation “will be exhibit A in future war crimes trials”.

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Islamabad has emerged as a new key mediator in the ongoing war in the middle East [File: Hasnoor Hussain/Reuters]
By
Al Jazeera Staff
Published On 7 Apr 2026
7 Apr 2026
Pakistan has made an 11-hour appeal to United States President Donald Trump to push back
his deadline for an Iran
deal by two weeks, and to Tehran to open the Strait of Hormuz during the same period, citing progress in a diplomatic push to end the US-Israel war on Iran.
“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,” Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif wrote in a post on X on Tuesday, just a few hours before the deadline Trump has set for Iranian authorities.
Recommended Stories
list of 3 items
list 1 of 3
The US could still try to play the ethnic card in Iran
list 2 of 3
Trump warns deadline ‘final’ as Iran pushes proposal to end war
list 3 of 3
How Pakistan’s solar boom is shielding it from worst of Iran war crisis
end of list
“To allow diplomacy to run its course, I earnestly request President Trump to extend the deadline for two weeks,” he said, while also calling on Iran to fully open the Strait of Hormuz for the same 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,” he added.
White House Press Secretary ⁠Karoline Leavitt, speaking to Axios, said Trump was aware of ⁠Pakistan’s proposal and that a response would come. Separately, a senior Iranian official told the Reuters news agency that Tehran is positively reviewing the request.
Sharif’s message came a few hours before the end of the deadline imposed by Trump, who earlier on Tuesday
escalated his rhetoric
by suggesting in a Truth Social post that the US would destroy the Iranian “civilization” if Tehran does not fully open the Strait of Hormuz and submit to his terms.
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Iran has effectively brought maritime traffic at the key waterway, through which one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas normally passes, to a near-total halt in retaliation for the US-Israeli attacks on its soil since February 28.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps vowed to disrupt oil and gas supplies for years, warning that “self-restraint is over”.
“Our response will extend beyond the region if the US military crosses our red lines,” it said in a statement.
A Pakistani source told Al Jazeera that detractors within all camps were trying to sabotage efforts to de-escalate and that until early in the morning, the possibility of a deal was on the table. “We’re at a dangerous escalation, but the possibility of diplomacy can’t be ruled out till the last minute,” the source said, adding that Islamabad remains committed to keeping all windows of talks open with all parties.
As efforts for a diplomatic breakthrough intensified, Israel struck railways and bridges in several areas across Iran, while Iranian forces launched attacks against targets across the region, including Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
For more than two weeks, Trump has been warning that he would order the destruction of Iran’s civilian infrastructure, including bridges and power stations, if his demands are not met.
Legal experts say targeting civilian infrastructure is a
war crime
.
Oona Hathaway, a US legal scholar and professor at Yale University, said that if Trump carries out his threat, his Truth Social post on the death of the Iranian civilisation “will be exhibit A in future war crimes trials”.
She also explained that while potential war crimes trials may not happen immediately, “there is no statute of limitations on war crimes and accountability sometimes takes decades”.
“Maybe not in 3 years or 5 years or in 10 years, but eventually, those responsible will have to be held to account,” Hathaway wrote in a social media post.

---

## Expert Analysis

### Merits
- Listen Listen (4 mins) Save Click here to share on social media share2 Share facebook twitter whatsapp copylink google Add Al Jazeera on Google info Islamabad has emerged as a new key mediator in the ongoing war in the middle East [File: Hasnoor Hussain/Reuters] By Al Jazeera Staff Published On 7 Apr 2026 7 Apr 2026 Pakistan has made an 11-hour appeal to United States President Donald Trump to push back his deadline for an Iran deal by two weeks, and to Tehran to open the Strait of Hormuz during the same period, citing progress in a diplomatic push to end the US-Israel war on Iran. “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,” Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif wrote in a post on X on Tuesday, just a few hours before the deadline Trump has set for Iranian authorities.
- As efforts for a diplomatic breakthrough intensified, Israel struck railways and bridges in several areas across Iran, while Iranian forces launched attacks against targets across the region, including Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

### Areas for Consideration
- Oona Hathaway, a US legal scholar and professor at Yale University, said that if Trump carries out his threat, his Truth Social post on the death of the Iranian civilisation “will be exhibit A in future war crimes trials”.

### Implications
- Listen Listen (4 mins) Save Click here to share on social media share2 Share facebook twitter whatsapp copylink google Add Al Jazeera on Google info Islamabad has emerged as a new key mediator in the ongoing war in the middle East [File: Hasnoor Hussain/Reuters] By Al Jazeera Staff Published On 7 Apr 2026 7 Apr 2026 Pakistan has made an 11-hour appeal to United States President Donald Trump to push back his deadline for an Iran deal by two weeks, and to Tehran to open the Strait of Hormuz during the same period, citing progress in a diplomatic push to end the US-Israel war on Iran. “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,” Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif wrote in a post on X on Tuesday, just a few hours before the deadline Trump has set for Iranian authorities.
- Recommended Stories list of 3 items list 1 of 3 The US could still try to play the ethnic card in Iran list 2 of 3 Trump warns deadline ‘final’ as Iran pushes proposal to end war list 3 of 3 How Pakistan’s solar boom is shielding it from worst of Iran war crisis end of list “To allow diplomacy to run its course, I earnestly request President Trump to extend the deadline for two weeks,” he said, while also calling on Iran to fully open the Strait of Hormuz for the same 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,” he added.
- Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps vowed to disrupt oil and gas supplies for years, warning that “self-restraint is over”. “Our response will extend beyond the region if the US military crosses our red lines,” it said in a statement.
- Oona Hathaway, a US legal scholar and professor at Yale University, said that if Trump carries out his threat, his Truth Social post on the death of the Iranian civilisation “will be exhibit A in future war crimes trials”.

### Expert Commentary
This article covers war, iran, trump topics. Notable strengths include discussion of war. Areas of concern are also raised. Readability: Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.0. Word count: 709.