U.S. President Donald Trump abruptly postponed military action against Iran just 1 hour and 30 minutes before it was to begin, conditionally agreeing to a "two-week halt to strikes" after accepting Pakistan's request to mediate.
On the 7th (local time), President Trump said on his social media, Truth Social, "We have agreed with Iran to completely (complete), immediately (immediate), and safely (safe) open the Strait of Hormuz, and we will suspend bombing of Iran for two weeks." The decision came 1 hour and 30 minutes before the deadline he set for the talks, 8 p.m. (9 a.m. on the 8th, Korea time). Trump had warned, "If no deal is reached by the deadline, we will carry out successive strikes on Iran's key infrastructure, including power plants and bridges."
Earlier, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif publicly asked Trump on X (formerly Twitter) that day, "I earnestly ask you to extend the negotiation deadline by two weeks." Pakistan has recently been mediating talks between the United States and Iran.
Sharif is said to have proposed a compromise under which the United States would postpone military action, Iran would open the Strait of Hormuz, and both sides would enter a two-week truce. Trump's decision is effectively seen as accepting the proposal. A senior White House official told CNN, "Israel also agreed to halt airstrikes."