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In a dramatic late-night development, President Trump said Tuesday that Washington has agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran, accepting a Pakistani proposal that defuses a perilous countdown to war.
Presented mere hours before Mr. Trump’s deadline for sweeping military strikes, the Pakistani proposal calls for a temporary pause in the president’s threats while Iran promises to reopen the Strait of Hormuz for two weeks as a show of good faith. That short, strategic pause is meant to buy time to negotiate a larger, potentially war-ending agreement.
Behind the scenes, Pakistani mediators have been shuttling between capitals; there is talk of possible face-to-face talks — likely to be led by Vice President Vance — though no meeting has been confirmed.
The ceasefire declaration follows an earlier, ominous warning from Mr. Trump in which he threatened to obliterate Iran’s entire “civilization,” singling out bridges, power plants and even oil and water infrastructure as potential targets.
Diplomatic momentum surged in the last 24 hours with Pakistan at the center of mediation efforts. Regional leaders — including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the heads of Saudi Arabia and the UAE — together with political allies like Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), had pressed Mr. Trump to spurn any deal unless Iran made sweeping concessions. At the same time, advisers within the president’s circle, notably Vice President Vance and envoy Steve Witkoff, counseled acceptance if a viable agreement materialized.
The prime minister, who helped mediate the ceasefire, also invited delegations from both countries to Islamabad on April 10 to “hold further negotiations towards a conclusive agreement to settle all disputes”.
However, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the US has not yet agreed.
“There are discussions about in-person talks, but nothing is final until announced by the President or the White House,” Leavitt said.
Israel has also agreed to the ceasefire deal between the United States and Iran, a White House official confirmed.
Iran’s Supreme Security Council said on Wednesday negotiations with the US would begin on Friday 10 April in Islamabad after it submitted a 10-point proposal to Washington via Pakistan, Iranian state media reported.
The talks do not signal the end of the war, the Council added.
Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz posted on X asking President Trump to extend his deadline by two weeks to allow diplomacy to run its course and requesting that Iran open the Strait of Hormuz for the same period as a reciprocal gesture.