Trump agrees to Pakistan’s request, ‘suspends bombing, attack’ on Iran for two weeks

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US President Donald Trump agreed on Wednesday to suspend bombing and attacks on Iran for two weeks, accepting a request from Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif just under two hours before a deadline he had set for Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The announcement, made on Trump's Truth Social platform, came after Sharif appealed for an extension to allow diplomacy to run its course, and after a senior Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran was positively reviewing the request.

Trump's post said the suspension was "based on conversations with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, of Pakistan," and was subject to Iran agreeing to the "COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz." He described the arrangement as a "double sided CEASEFIRE," adding that US military objectives had been "met and exceeded" and that a 10-point proposal from Iran was a "workable basis" for negotiation.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed the ceasefire on X, thanking Sharif and Munir for their efforts. The development was reported by multiple outlets, including Al Jazeera and Dawn, with the Jerusalem Post carrying the earlier appeal as a developing story.

Coverage Comparison

Coverage of the events leading up to the suspension varied in emphasis and timing. The Jerusalem Post, citing Reuters, reported Sharif's initial request on Tuesday night, noting that the deadline was set for 8 p.m. EST and that White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt had told Axios that Trump was aware of the proposal and that "a response will come." The same report quoted Trump telling Fox News that the US was "in heated negotiations."

Al Jazeera's earlier coverage framed Sharif's appeal as a "last-ditch effort" and highlighted the urgency of the moment, with one report noting that just under 90 minutes remained before Trump's deadline when he announced the suspension. A subsequent Al Jazeera analysis credited Pakistan with securing the ceasefire, describing it as "the most significant diplomatic achievement in years" for Islamabad.

Dawn, Pakistan's leading English-language daily, led with the outcome, reporting that Trump accepted Pakistan's request and quoting the full text of his Truth Social post. Both Dawn articles emphasized the timing—less than two hours before the ultimatum—and the condition of Hormuz reopening.

While all sources agreed on the core facts of the appeal and the acceptance, discrepancies emerged in the aftermath. Trump claimed Iran would allow unimpeded transit through the Strait of Hormuz, while Araghchi said passage would be under the auspices of the Iranian armed forces. Whether the ceasefire covers Lebanon also remained disputed: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said it did not, even as Sharif announced an immediate ceasefire "everywhere including Lebanon."

Key Claims

• Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif posted on X requesting that President Trump extend his deadline for Iran by two weeks, citing "steady, strong and powerful" diplomatic progress.
• Sharif also asked Iran to fully open the Strait of Hormuz for two weeks as a "goodwill gesture" and urged all warring parties to observe a ceasefire everywhere.
• Trump's deadline was set for 8 p.m. EST on Tuesday, April 8. He accepted the suspension less than two hours before it was due to expire.
• White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Axios that Trump was aware of Pakistan's proposal and that a response would come. Trump separately told Fox News that the US was "in heated negotiations."
• A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran was "positively reviewing" Pakistan's request.
• Trump's Truth Social post said the suspension was conditioned on the complete, immediate, and safe opening of the Strait of Hormuz, and that it would be a "double sided CEASEFIRE."
• Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed the ceasefire on X and thanked Sharif and Munir.
• Trump and Araghchi gave differing accounts of the terms for Hormuz transit: Trump said unimpeded passage; Araghchi said under Iranian armed forces auspices.
• Netanyahu's office said the arrangement does not cover Lebanon, while Sharif announced a ceasefire "everywhere including Lebanon."
• The war began on February 28 with US and Israeli strikes that killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, according to multiple reports. More than 2,000 people have been killed in Iran in five weeks, per one report.
• Iran had brought maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz to a near-total halt after the strikes. The strait carries about one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas.
• Oil prices dropped 16% after the ceasefire announcement, and the strait was set to reopen for the first time in five weeks.

Perspectives

Pakistan's role as mediator: Both US and Iranian statements credited Pakistan's civil-military leadership with brokering the pause. Sharif spoke with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held calls with counterparts from Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Egypt. Al Jazeera noted Pakistan's long history as a backchannel between rival powers.

Iran's position: Tehran framed the Hormuz restrictions as retaliation for US-Israeli attacks and insisted on its sovereignty over the strait. Araghchi's statement suggested that any reopening would be under Iranian control, and Iran's 10-point counteroffer reportedly included demands for an end to hostilities, sanctions relief, and reparations.

Israel's concerns: Netanyahu's office moved quickly to limit the scope of the ceasefire, stating that it does not cover Lebanon. Israeli attacks in Lebanon on Wednesday killed dozens, according to one report, underscoring the fragility of the broader pause.

Unresolved questions: Beyond Hormuz and Lebanon, it remained unclear whether the US agreed to allow Iran to pursue uranium enrichment, and whether Trump accepted Iran's 10-point list as a basis for negotiation or merely as a conversation starter. The possible composition of a US delegation to talks in Islamabad—reportedly including Vice President JD Vance, Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner—was also unconfirmed.

War-crimes concerns: Legal scholar Oona Hathaway was quoted by Al Jazeera as saying that if Trump carried out threats against civilian infrastructure, his Truth Social post would be "exhibit A" in future war crimes trials. The IRGC said it would respond in kind if the US attacked civilian facilities.

As the two-week clock starts, the world watches whether the pause holds and whether the deeper disagreements can be bridged. The ceasefire, while welcomed, leaves many details unresolved—and the stakes remain as high as the strait that carries a fifth of the world's energy supplies.