U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday he agreed to suspend a planned large-scale attack on Iran for two weeks following mediation efforts by Pakistan, signaling a possible diplomatic opening in the escalating Middle East conflict.

“I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks,” Trump posted on social media a little more than an hour before his deadline, after talks with Pakistani mediators.

Trump also said he was prepared to support a ceasefire if Tehran fully reopens the vital Strait of Hormuz, a key global route for oil and gas shipments.

The announcement followed an appeal by Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who urged Trump to extend the deadline for potential strikes to allow ongoing diplomatic efforts to continue.

“Diplomatic efforts for peaceful settlement of the ongoing war in the Middle East are progressing steadily, strongly and powerfully with the potential to lead to substantive results in near future,” Sharif said in a post on X.

“To allow diplomacy to run its course, I earnestly request President Trump to extend the deadline for two weeks,” he added.

Sharif’s request came hours before a deadline set by Trump to carry out what he described as the “complete demolition” of Iran’s critical infrastructure, including bridges and power plants, if no agreement was reached by midnight GMT.

The White House confirmed it was aware of Pakistan’s proposal. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the president had been briefed.

“The President has been made aware of the proposal, and a response will come,” Leavitt said in a statement to AFP shortly before the deadline expired.

A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran is positively reviewing Pakistan’s request for a two-week ceasefire, suggesting a potential opening for diplomacy.

Trump had intensified his rhetoric a day earlier, warning that “a whole civilization will die” if Iran failed to comply with U.S. demands.

In his statement, Sharif also urged Iran to keep the Strait of Hormuz open during the proposed two-week period as a goodwill gesture and called on all sides involved in the conflict to observe a temporary ceasefire.

“The ceasefire will allow diplomacy to achieve conclusive termination of war, in the interest of long-term peace and stability in the region,” Sharif said.

Pakistan has positioned itself as a communication channel between Tehran and Washington as tensions rise. Officials in Islamabad have said the country is ready to host “meaningful talks” between the United States and Iran to prevent further escalation.