Pakistan Mediates US-Iran Regional Ceasefire

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan announced on Wednesday that the United States and Iran, along with their allies, have agreed to an immediate ceasefire across the region, including in Lebanon, effective immediately. The 14-day truce, secured through Islamabad's diplomatic mediation, follows 39 days of conflict that began on February 28 when the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran. Sharif extended invitations for delegations from both nations to hold face-to-face talks in Islamabad starting this weekend, aiming to resolve the dispute and establish lasting peace.

The ceasefire came hours before a US deadline set by President Donald Trump, who had threatened strikes on Iranian infrastructure, including bridges and power plants, if demands such as the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz were not met. In a social media post early Wednesday, Sharif urged Trump to extend the deadline by two weeks to allow diplomacy to proceed, while requesting that Iran open the strait as a goodwill gesture and calling on all parties to observe the pause. Trump confirmed the agreement later that day, suspending attacks subject to Iran's compliance on the strait and other conditions.