Trump Declines to Reveal State of Iran Talks as Israeli Military Warns of Imminent Escalation
The US president declined to reveal the state of talks with Tehran hours before his deadline expires, while Israel placed all its air defense systems on maximum readiness in anticipation of a sharp escalation.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - With the clock ticking toward a midnight deadline and the world watching, Donald Trump confirmed Tuesday that the United States is locked in intense negotiations with Iran — but offered no indication of which way they are heading.
Speaking in a brief phone call with Fox News anchor and senior White House correspondent Jacqui Heinrich on Tuesday, Trump declined to characterize the state of the talks. "I can't tell you, because right now we're in heated negotiations," he said. The president also declined to weigh in on Pakistan's request for a two-week extension of his strike authorization, saying he was about to be fully briefed on the proposal. He did, however, offer a brief personal endorsement of Pakistan's prime minister: "I can say this — that I know him very well. He's a highly respected man, all over."
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Trump had been made aware of Pakistan's proposal and that a response would come.
Israel on full alert
As diplomacy hung in the balance, Israel's military moved in the opposite direction. On Tuesday, April 7, 2026, the Israeli army issued an urgent warning and placed all its air defense systems on full readiness, following a detailed security assessment predicting a significant escalation in hostile missile and rocket fire toward various parts of Israel in the coming hours.
According to an official Israeli military statement, the assessment was conducted in the context of preparations for the possible expiry of Trump's final deadline — which runs out at 3:00 AM Erbil time — under which Iran was formally demanded to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Washington has warned that if no agreement is reached by that hour, it will issue an order to destroy Iran's energy and transport infrastructure.
Israeli security officials assessed that Iran and its allied groups would likely target civilian and industrial areas inside Israel in response to any American military move. All air defense batteries have been placed on maximum readiness accordingly.
The flurry of activity came hours after Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced a diplomatic initiative calling on Trump to extend his strike authorization by two weeks and urging Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz for the same period as a gesture of good faith. Trump's brief comments to Fox News indicated the White House had not yet formulated a formal response to the proposal.
With heated negotiations underway, Israel braced for impact, and a Pakistani peace initiative on the table, the next few hours stand as among the most consequential of the conflict so far.