US directly involved in Pak PM's message on Trump's Iran deadline, says NYT

Setting the ball rolling around Islamabad’s purported role in playing a mediator in the US-Iran peace talks, a report by The New York Times has now claimed that the White House was "directly involved" in shaping a social media message posted by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in which he urged US President Donald Trump to extend a critical deadline on Iran by two weeks.

According to the report, Sharif’s post on X — described as a "last-ditch public plea" — was reviewed and cleared by the White House before it was published, even as Washington maintained a hardline public stance against Tehran.

The message came hours before Trump’s stated deadline for Iran, amid escalating tensions and the risk of wider conflict in the Middle East.

In the post, Sharif said diplomatic efforts were "progressing steadily, strongly and powerfully with the potential to lead to substantive results in near future".

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

Sharif also appealed directly to Iran, urging it to reopen the Strait of Hormuz for the same period.

"Pakistan, in all sincerity, requests the Iranian brothers to open the Strait of Hormuz for a corresponding period of two weeks as a goodwill gesture," he said.

He further called for a broader pause in hostilities, stating, "We also urge all warring parties to observe a ceasefire everywhere for two weeks to allow diplomacy to achieve conclusive termination of war, in the interest of long-term peace and stability in the region".

The NYT report said the language of the post echoed "Trumpian parlance" and suggested coordination behind the scenes.

It added that the White House, despite Trump’s public threats, was actively seeking an off-ramp as the deadline approached.

A US official, however, denied speculation that Trump himself authored the message.

Controversy around the post intensified after social media users highlighted an earlier version that appeared with the header "Draft - Pakistan’s PM Message on X," raising questions about how the statement was prepared.

While some online claims suggest external influence, these remain unverified, and there has been no official confirmation from Islamabad or Washington on the drafting process.

JD VANCE LEAVES FOR ISLAMABAD

The development comes as US Vice President JD Vance left for Islamabad on Friday to lead a high-level American delegation to hold talks with their Iranian counterparts, with Pakistan setting up the platform for them.

Before leaving for Pakistan, JD Vance expressed cautious optimism, saying, "We're looking forward to the negotiations. I think it's going to be positive," while warning, "If they're going to try to play us, then they're going to find the negotiating team is not that receptive".

He added the US is open to dialogue if Iran acts in good faith. The delegation, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, reflects Washington’s focus on the talks.

Vance noted Donald Trump has set clear guidelines, as uncertainty remains over the structure of US-Iran discussions.

The White House has provided little detail on whether upcoming US-Iran talks will be direct or indirect, keeping expectations unclear.

Still, JD Vance’s visit to Islamabad marks a rare high-level engagement between Washington and Tehran, unseen since the Iranian Revolution, apart from Barack Obama’s 2013 call with Hassan Rouhani.

Despite a ceasefire, tensions persist, with Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump rejecting Iran’s stance on Lebanon.

- Ends

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