Washington (Agencies) – US President Donald Trump has announced that the ceasefire with Iran is approaching its final hours, confirming in a “Bloomberg” interview that the truce will officially end Wednesday evening Washington time. Trump emphasized that it is “highly unlikely” he will extend the deadline unless a concrete agreement is reached before then. Accordingly, the US military escalation against Iran 2026 remains a potent scenario, as the administration maintains its “Maximum Pressure” policy to extract substantial concessions from Tehran before it’s too late.
Pakistani Mediation to Save the Situation: Proposal for a Two-Week Extension
Conversely, reports from Islamabad revealed intensive diplomatic efforts led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who officially requested Washington and Tehran to extend the truce for an additional 14 days. Obviously, Pakistani concerns focus on the repercussions of the mutual blockade in the Strait of Hormuz on global energy security. As a result, the international community is racing against time to revive the negotiating track scheduled for tomorrow, amid warnings that the failure of this mediation could lead to uncontrollable regional consequences.
“Plan B” on the Table: White House Discusses Renewing Military Operations
Axios” reported that President Trump has already begun technical discussions with his national security team regarding “Plan B,” which involves resuming strikes against Iranian targets. Certainly, Washington refuses to grant Tehran an “open check” for extension without real results at the negotiating table. Accordingly, the US military escalation against Iran 2026 stands as the ready-to-execute option once “Zero Hour” arrives Wednesday evening, placing the entire region before a true test of diplomacy’s ability to curb a direct confrontation.
