West Asia War: US-Iran direct talks begin in Pakistan as war’s fragile ceasefire holds
The White House confirmed the direct nature of the talks. Iran’s state news agency said the trilateral talks began after Iran’s preconditions were met, including reducing Israeli attacks on southern Lebanon, and after US and Iranian officials met separately with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
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The U.S. delegation, led by Vice President J.D. Vance, and the Iranian delegation, led by House Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, were discussing how to advance the ceasefire, which is already threatened by deep disagreements and ongoing Israeli attacks on Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon.
“I can’t say whether they are sitting in the same room or in separate rooms, but the talks have started and are progressing well,” said a Pakistani official with knowledge of the peace effort, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.
Iran sets ‘red lines’, including strike compensation
Iran doubled down on parts of its earlier offer, and its delegation told Iranian state television that it had presented some ideas in the plan as “red lines” in talks with Sharif. These included compensation for damage caused by the US-Israeli attacks that started the war on February 28 and the release of Iran’s frozen assets.Also Read | ‘Fingers on the trigger’: Tehran maintains defiant stance ahead of peace talks
The war has killed at least 3,000 people in Iran, 1,953 in Lebanon, 23 in Israel and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab countries, and caused lasting damage to the infrastructure of half a dozen Middle Eastern countries. Iran’s control of the vital Strait of Hormuz has left the Persian Gulf and its oil and gas exports largely cut off from the global economy, causing energy prices to soar.
Reflecting the high stakes, officials from the region said Chinese, Egyptian, Saudi and Qatari officials were in Islamabad to indirectly facilitate the talks. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive issue.
In Tehran, citizens told The Associated Press they were skeptical but hopeful of the talks after weeks of air strikes wiped out nearly 93 million people across their country. Some said the road to recovery would be long.
Also Read | Kiosks, baristas but no briefing: Journalists frozen by Iran talks in Islamabad
62-year-old Amir Razzai Far said, “Peace alone is not enough for our country, because we were hit very hard and there were huge costs.” he said.
Meanwhile, Israel continued its attacks after saying there was no ceasefire in Lebanon. Iran and Pakistan do not agree. Lebanon’s state news agency reported that at least three people were killed.
Officials focus on key issues ahead of talks
Ahead of the talks, President Donald Trump accused Iran of using the Strait of Hormuz, a key artery for global energy supplies, to usurp the Strait of Hormuz and told reporters on Friday that the strait would be opened “with or without them.”
Iran’s closure of the strait proved its greatest strategic advantage in the war. About one-fifth of the oil traded in the world passed through more than 100 ships a day, often. It has been recorded that only 12 people have crossed since the ceasefire.
Although Iran has floated the idea of loading ships, the idea has been widely rejected by countries such as the United States and Iran’s neighbor Oman.
On Saturday, Trump said on social media that the United States had begun “clearing” the strait, but it was unclear whether he was referring to the use of mines or Iran’s broader ability to control the region.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that Tehran entered the negotiations with “deep distrust” after the attacks on Iran in the previous rounds of negotiations. Araghchi, who was part of Iran’s delegation to Pakistan, said on Saturday that his country was ready to retaliate if attacked again.
Iran and the United States have outlined competing proposals ahead of talks.
Iran’s 10-item proposal called for a guaranteed end to the war and requested the Strait of Hormuz to be taken under control. This included calling for an end to the fight against Iran’s “regional allies” and explicitly calling for a halt to Israeli attacks on Hezbollah.
The US’s 15-item proposal includes restricting Iran’s nuclear program and reopening the strait.
Israel and Lebanon to hold direct negotiations
Negotiations between Israel and Lebanon are expected to begin in Washington on Tuesday, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun’s office said in a statement on Friday.
Israel wants the Lebanese government to take responsibility for disarming Hezbollah, as stipulated in the November 2024 ceasefire. But it is unclear whether the Lebanese army will be able to seize weapons from the militant group, which has survived decades of efforts to reduce its power.
Israel’s insistence that the ceasefire in Iran does not include a pause in the fight against Hezbollah has threatened to unravel the agreement. The militant group joined the war in support of Iran in its opening days. Israel continued this with air strikes and ground attacks.
On the day the ceasefire agreement in Iran was announced, Israel hit Beirut with airstrikes, killing more than 300 people in the deadliest day since the start of the war in Lebanon, according to the country’s Health Ministry.
Energy pressure is increasing
The spot price of Brent crude, the international standard for oil prices, rose to more than $94 on Saturday, up more than 30 percent since the start of the war.
And new pressures for travelers have emerged in Europe.
Airports Council International-Europe President Olivier Jankovec warned the European Union that there could be a “systemic jet fuel shortage” within three weeks due to the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz.
The crisis could impact the summer travel season and “significantly damage the European economy,” Jankovec said in a letter obtained by The Associated Press.
