Soon after Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that he urged President Donald Trump to extend his 8 PM ET deadline on Iran by two weeks, and for Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz for that period, a new update came in. CNN cited a regional source to report on Tuesday that ‘some good news is expected’.
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‘Good news expected’
The source told CNN that ‘some good news is expected from both sides soon’, without revealing any further details. The report added that the talks were steered directly by Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir. The source added that ‘a deal is expected to be closed tonight’.
Trump addresses ceasefire deal
Meanwhile, Trump said that his administration is engaged in tough talks with Iran. “I can’t tell you, because right now we’re in heated negotiations,” he told Fox News.
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Press secretary Karoline Leavitt, in an email to The Associated Press, said that the president ‘has been made aware of the proposal, and a response will come’.
Shehbaz Sharif reveals details
This comes as PM Sharif said he has urged Trump to extend his deadline for 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,” Sharif wrote on X, platform formerly known as Twitter. “To allow diplomacy to run its course, I earnestly request President Trump to extend the deadline for two weeks.”
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Sharif said he requested that Iran reopen the Strait of Hormuz. “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.”
Trump spoke of Sharif, saying ‘I know him very well. He’s a highly respected man, all over’.
Earlier on Tuesday, the president threatened to wipe out Iran’s “whole civilization” as the US continued attacks on the country’s main oil export facility. That prompted Iranian mediators to halt its participation in diplomatic discussions, Bloomberg reported, citing a person familiar with the matter.
A senior White House official downplayed Iran’s maneuver and said that legitimate negotiations continued to take place, the report added. Trump said Monday it was “highly unlikely” he would agree to back off his deadline again.
