JUST IN: Iran Conflict Mediator Pushes For Deadline Extension

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is aggressively pushing for a two-week extension of the deadline set by President Donald Trump for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end its blockade of Gulf oil shipping. The request came hours before the current 8 p.m. Eastern Time cutoff, after which the United States has indicated it could proceed with strikes on Iranian infrastructure. Sharif — who has been acting as the primary third-party conflict mediator alongside leaders from Egypt and Turkey — stated in a social media post that diplomatic efforts “are progressing steadily, strongly and powerfully with the potential to lead to substantive results in near future. “To allow diplomacy to run its course, I earnestly request President Trump to extend the deadline for two weeks. Pakistan, i