Pakistan has made a last-minute proposal to avert "catastrophic" US attacks on Iran, hours ahead of a deadline set by President Donald Trump who warned a "whole civilisation will die tonight".
The White House said it was aware and would respond to the proposal by Pakistan, which sought to mediate after more than five weeks of US and Israeli attacks.
"Diplomatic efforts for peaceful settlement... are progressing steadily," Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif wrote on X.
He appealed to Trump to extend his 8:00 PM Washington deadline by two weeks, asking Iran to commit to reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
Strikes continue
The latest threats to Iran from the Trump administration brought disbelief and warnings.
"A whole civilisation will die tonight... I don't want that to happen, but it probably will," Trump wrote.
This follows threats to destroy power plants in the country of 90 million — a move Pope Leo XIV called "truly unacceptable".
US and Israeli forces have been striking key infrastructure, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirming attacks on railways and bridges.
Iranian authorities reported strikes on a bridge outside Qom and a rail bridge in central Iran that killed two people.
In Alborz province, 18 people, including two children, have been killed in recent strikes.
Since being attacked on 28 February, Iran responded by taking charge of the Strait of Hormuz, driving up global oil prices.
At the UN Security Council, Russia and China vetoed a resolution on reopening the waterway.
Meanwhile, Israel launched a major aggression into Lebanon, which has killed more than 1,500 people.
