Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday asked President Donald Trump for a two-week extension of his threat to wipe out the “whole civilization” of Iran unless Tehran strikes a deal that includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
Sharif in an X post also asked Iran’s leadership to agree to open up the strait for 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,” Sharif wrote.
The public plea from the leader of Pakistan, which has acted as a mediator between the warring powers, came hours before Trump’s 8 p.m. ET deadline for Iran to either cut a deal or face massive strikes on its civilian infrastructure.
On Tuesday morning, Trump dramatically ramped up his threats, warning on Truth Social that “a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again” if no agreement is reached.
“However, now that we have Complete and Total Regime Change, where different, smarter, and less radicalized minds prevail, maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen, WHO KNOWS?” he wrote.
“We will find out tonight, one of the most important moments in the long and complex history of the World.”
Asked for comment on Sharif’s request, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told CNBC, “The President has been made aware of the proposal, and a response will come.”
Trump’s threat came after U.S. forces the previous night struck military targets on Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil export terminal, a White House official confirmed to CNBC.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference in James S. Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House on April 06, 2026 in Washington, DC.
Alex Wong | Getty Images
Iran has blocked most oil transit through the Strait of Hormuz since the U.S. and Israel began the war in late February. The closure has led to a historic oil supply shock, which quickly sent global energy prices soaring.
Trump has boasted that Iran’s military has been “obliterated” but acknowledged it still controls ship traffic flow through the strait, giving it key leverage.
In a belligerent Easter social media post on Sunday, he threatened to destroy Iran’s bridges and power plants by Tuesday night, demanding Tehran “Open the Fuckin’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell.”
Tuesday’s post, and the reports of new U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian infrastructure, gave way to conflicting reports on the status of diplomatic efforts between the warring powers.
Status of U.S. talks with Iran
The New York Times, citing three senior Iranian officials, reported that Iran has stopped negotiation efforts with the U.S. and told Pakistan, which has acted as a mediator, that it would end ceasefire talks.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Iran has cut off “direct communications with the U.S.” in response to Trump’s post, but that talks with…
Read More: Pakistan seeks 2-week Iran pause after Trump warns ‘whole civilization will
