Foreign Affairs & Diplomacy Desk | April 2026 | 7 min read
| ⚡ QUICK TAKEAWAYS
• Pakistan brokered a 2-week US-Iran ceasefire — PM Shehbaz and Field Marshal Munir directly convinced Trump to halt bombing. • Trump suspended strikes after conversations with PM Shehbaz and FM Munir, citing Iran’s 10-point proposal as a workable basis for talks. • Iran confirmed the ceasefire and agreed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz for two weeks as a goodwill gesture. • Both US and Iranian delegations are invited to Islamabad on April 10 for formal peace negotiations. • Israel backed Trump’s decision but stated the ceasefire does not include Lebanon. |
In one of the most consequential diplomatic interventions in Pakistan’s modern history, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir directly convinced US President Donald Trump to suspend bombing of Iran — pulling the Middle East back from the brink of full-scale catastrophe with hours to spare before Trump’s self-imposed deadline.
THE CEASEFIRE — KEY FACTS
| 2 Weeks
Ceasefire Duration Immediate — effective from April 8, 2026 |
Apr 10
Peace Talks Date Delegations invited to Islamabad |
10 Points
Iran’s Proposal US accepted as basis for negotiation |
The Full Story: How Pakistan Stopped the Bombing
The war began on February 28, 2026, when US-Israeli strikes targeted Iran, triggering a conflict that disrupted global oil markets, choked the Strait of Hormuz, and threatened to ignite a broader regional war. For weeks, Pakistan worked quietly behind the scenes — hosting regional summits, facilitating back-channel contacts and pressing both Washington and Tehran toward dialogue.
By Tuesday, April 8, the situation reached its most dangerous point. Trump had set a hard deadline of 8pm Eastern Time for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face a dramatically escalated military campaign. Speaking to his base, Trump warned that ‘a whole civilisation will die tonight’ if Iran failed to comply — language that left diplomats across the world scrambling for a last-minute solution.
With less than two hours before the deadline, PM Shehbaz posted on X requesting Trump extend the deadline by two weeks — framing it not as capitulation but as an opportunity for diplomacy to reach its conclusion. Simultaneously, he called on Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz as a goodwill gesture for the same two-week period.
| TRUMP’S OWN WORDS
Trump posted on Truth Social: ‘Based on conversations with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, of Pakistan, and wherein they requested that I hold off the destructive force being sent tonight to Iran… I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks.’ He added: ‘This will be a double sided CEASEFIRE!’ |
Full Diplomatic Timeline: From War to Ceasefire
| Date | Event |
| Feb 28, 2026 | US-Israel strikes on Iran begin — Middle East war erupts |
| Mar 19 | First regional summit in Riyadh — Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, Egypt meet on de-escalation |
| Mar 24 | PM Shehbaz offers Pakistan as host for US-Iran peace talks |
| Mar 25 | Iran rejects initial US ceasefire proposal, cites five conditions |
| Last week | Quadrilateral moot in Islamabad — Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, Egypt FMs attend |
| Apr 7 (Mon) | Iran conveys 10-point response to US via Pakistan, rejects ceasefire but sets terms |
| Apr 8 (Tue) | Trump threatens ‘whole civilisation will die tonight’ — deadline 8pm ET |
| Apr 8 (Wed) | PM Shehbaz posts on X requesting 2-week extension — Field Marshal Munir engages |
| Apr 8 (Wed) | Trump announces 2-week bombing suspension after talks with PM Shehbaz and FM Munir |
| Apr 8 (Wed) | Iran confirms ceasefire — Hormuz to reopen for 2 weeks |
| Apr 10 | Islamabad Talks — US and Iran delegations to arrive for formal negotiations |
Iran’s 10-Point Proposal: The Document That Unlocked the Deal
Central to the breakthrough was Iran’s 10-point proposal, which Trump acknowledged the US had received and described as a ‘workable basis on which to negotiate.’ Trump stated that ‘almost all of the various points of past contention have been agreed to between the United States and Iran’ — an extraordinary admission given the depth of hostility between the two sides just hours earlier.
| # | Iran’s Demand |
| 1 | Non-aggression guarantee against Iran by the United States |
| 2 | Continued Iranian sovereign control over the Strait of Hormuz |
| 3 | Acceptance of Iran’s right to uranium enrichment |
| 4 | Full lifting of all primary US sanctions on Iran |
| 5 | Full lifting of all secondary US sanctions on Iran |
| 6 | Termination of all UN Security Council resolutions against Iran |
| 7 | Termination of all IAEA Board of Governors resolutions against Iran |
| 8 | Compensation for damages inflicted on Iran during the conflict |
| 9 | Withdrawal of US combat forces from the Middle East region |
| 10 | Cessation of war on all fronts including against Hezbollah in Lebanon |
| NOTE — Disputed Point
Iran’s FM Araghchi referenced a ’15-point US proposal’ in his statement accepting the ceasefire, while Trump referred to Iran’s ’10-point proposal.’ The discrepancy in document references suggests both sides presented separate frameworks, with the Islamabad Talks on April 10 expected to reconcile them into a unified agreement. |
Iran’s Response: Hormuz Reopens, Defensive Operations Cease
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded swiftly on behalf of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council. He expressed gratitude directly to PM Shehbaz and Field Marshal Munir for their ‘tireless efforts to end the war in the region’ — a public acknowledgement of Pakistan’s mediation role that carries significant diplomatic weight.
Iran confirmed that if attacks were halted, its armed forces would cease defensive operations. It also agreed to allow safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz for a two-week period, to be coordinated with Iran’s armed forces subject to technical limitations. The Strait of Hormuz — through which approximately 20 percent of the world’s oil and LNG had flowed before the war — has been effectively reopened for the first time since February 28.
What Comes Next: The Islamabad Talks
PM Shehbaz has invited delegations from both the United States and Iran to Islamabad on April 10 to hold formal negotiations toward a conclusive agreement settling all disputes. The talks represent the most significant diplomatic event ever hosted by Pakistan and a defining moment for Islamabad’s positioning as a neutral global mediator.
However, significant caveats remain. The White House confirmed that Israel supports Trump’s decision but said the ceasefire does not include Lebanon. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified that ‘nothing is final until announced by the President or the White House’ — a note of caution that the ceasefire architecture remains fragile and contested. Trump separately claimed the US had achieved a ‘total and complete victory’ — language that may complicate Iran’s domestic narrative around the deal.
| PAKISTAN’S HISTORIC MOMENT
For the first time in its history, Pakistan has directly mediated a ceasefire between the world’s most powerful military and a major regional power. The Islamabad Talks on April 10 — if successful — would cement Pakistan’s emergence as an indispensable neutral broker in global geopolitics. |
Key Takeaways
- PM Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir directly engaged Trump and secured a 2-week ceasefire, halting US bombing of Iran.
- Iran agreed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz for two weeks as a goodwill gesture — restoring a critical global oil corridor.
- Iran’s 10-point proposal was accepted by the US as a basis for negotiations — with Trump saying almost all disputes are near-resolved.
- Both sides’ delegations are invited to Islamabad on April 10 for formal talks toward a lasting peace agreement.
- Israel backed the deal but excluded Lebanon — the White House has not yet given final confirmation of all terms.
- Pakistan’s role marks the most significant diplomatic achievement in the country’s history as an international mediator.
DISCLAIMER: All information in this article is based on publicly available data and official statements from governments and heads of state. This content is intended for general informational purposes only.
