Iran links participation in Islamabad talks to ceasefire in Lebanon

Iran has threatened to withdraw from upcoming peace talks in Islamabad, conditioning its participation on an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire in Lebanon. According to sources cited by The Wall Street Journal, Tehran informed mediators that the continued Israeli aggression on Lebanon constitutes a clear violation of initial understandings, stressing that negotiations cannot proceed amid ongoing military escalation against its allies. The sources indicated that the Iranian leadership is also reconsidering its decision to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and may instead maintain it as a closed military zone for oil tankers, in response to what it described as Israeli provocations. This position places the US-brokered ceasefire framework under increasing strain, as Tehran views Washington’s inability to restrain Israeli military operations […]