The White House has confirmed that U.S. President Donald Trump has been briefed on a proposal to extend the ongoing deadline by two weeks, with a response expected shortly as the high-stakes timeline approaches.
White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told Axios journalist Barak Ravid that “President Trump has been briefed on the proposal for a two-week deadline extension, a response will be provided soon,” indicating that the request is under active consideration.
The development comes just hours before Trump’s 5:30 AM IST deadline, which has become a critical juncture in the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Iran and Israel. The war, now stretching beyond five weeks, has raised fears of further escalation and broader global disruption.
The proposal for a deadline extension was put forward by Pakistan as part of its ongoing mediation efforts between Washington and Tehran. Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had earlier urged Trump to grant a two-week extension to allow diplomatic negotiations to progress, stating that efforts were moving “steadily, strongly and powerfully.”
Alongside the extension request, Pakistan has also called for a temporary pause in hostilities and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz during the proposed period, as part of confidence-building measures aimed at reducing tensions.
Iran has already indicated that it is positively reviewing aspects of Pakistan’s proposal, signalling a possible window for diplomacy even as the deadline draws closer.
With the White House now acknowledging the extension request and preparing a response, attention remains focused on whether the U.S. will allow more time for negotiations or move towards a different course of action. As the deadline nears, the situation remains fluid, with both diplomatic and escalation paths still in play.