ISLAMABAD.– Uncertainty looms on Friday over the negotiations scheduled for this weekend between United States and Iran in Pakistanstill without confirmation of the arrival of the delegations and with cross accusations that put at risk the truce.
He cease-fire, valid for two dayshas stopped the US and Israeli aerial bombing campaign on the Islamic regime. but until now has done nothing to calm the parallel war that Israel wages against Tehran’s ally, Hezbollahin Lebanonnot even for end the blockade Strait of Hormuzwhich has caused the largest disruption in history to the world’s energy supply.
“If the Iranians are willing to negotiate in good faith, we are certainly willing to reach out. If they try to play tricks on us, They are going to discover that the negotiating team will not be as receptive“, the North American vice president told reporters before boarding his flight to the negotiations.
“We are looking forward to negotiating. I think it will be positive”Vance added.
As reported by the Washington Post, American negotiators plan ask Iran to release American citizens detained as part of upcoming talks aimed at ending the conflict, although that request could be delayed if dialogue between President Donald Trump’s team and Tehran becomes complicated.
The semi-official Tasnim news agency, close to the Iranian Revolutionary Guardstated that the conversations – scheduled for Saturday – would not take place unless Israel ends its attacks on Lebanon. For his part, the president of the United States, donald trumpcomplained that Iran was “doing a very poor job” of not allowing free navigation through the strait, through which before the conflict 20% of all the oil sold worldwide passed.
Nevertheless, Islamabad continues preparations for high-level talks, while the North American vice president, J.D. Vance, was available from Washington. Furthermore, it is expected that Israel and Lebanon begin talks next week in the North American capitalaccording to a U.S. official and a person with knowledge of the plans, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The center of Islamabad was placed under a complete lockdown for a public holiday announced at the last minute, with a security perimeter established to a “red zone” of 3 kilometers around a luxury hotel from which all guests were ordered to evacuate to accommodate both delegations.
According to the White House, meetings will take place on Saturday and Vance, the special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared KushnerTrump’s son-in-law. According to NBC News, the American president is “very optimistic” about the possibility of concluding an agreement.
On the Iranian side there are more unknowns. Pakistani officials showed secretive about the exact moment of the arrival of the Iranian delegationwhich will be headed by the President of Parliament, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf.
A source involved in the talks said the Pakistani air force will escort the Iranians’ plane.
For his part, Tehran’s ambassador to Pakistan announced in X that the Iranian delegation would arrive on Thursday night, but then he deleted the message.
On Friday, the Iranian Tasnim press agency stated, citing an anonymous source, that “as long as the United States does not respect its commitment to the ceasefire in Lebanon and the Zionist regime continues its attacks, negotiations are suspended“.
Since Tuesday’s announcement of a cease-fire between Washington and Tehran Discrepancies have arisen over whether or not this includes Lebanon.
Pakistan, as mediator, stated that The truce applied “everywhere, including Lebanon”but so much Americans as Israelis deny it.
Israel’s insistence that the ceasefire with Iran does not include a pause in its fighting with the terrorist group has threatened to destroy the agreement.
The day the truce was announced, Israel launches intense airstrikes on Beirut, killing more than 300 peopleaccording to the Lebanese Ministry of Health. Was the deadliest day in the country since the start of the war on February 28.
Trump said Thursday that he asked the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, reduce attacks. Israel’s military announced Friday that it launched strikes against approximately 10 rocket launchers in Lebanon who had fired shells into northern Israel the day before.
The speaker of the Iranian Parliament warned Thursday that continuing Israeli attacks on Hezbollah would have “explicit costs and forceful responses”.
Netanyahu, meanwhile, said that he authorized the start of negotiations with Lebanon “as soon as possible.” with the aim of disarming Hezbollah and establishing relations between neighborswhich have technically been at war since Israel’s founding in 1948.
The Lebanese government had not responded. The North American media Axios was the first to report the time and place of the talks.
The closing of Strait of Hormuz by Iran has caused a sharp rise in oil prices, a drop in stock markets and has shaken the world economy. Tehran’s control over the waterway has proven to be its greatest strategic advantage in war.
The spot price of Brent crude oilof international standard, was around 97 dollars per barrel on Friday, a rise of more than 30% since the war began.
Before the conflict, More than 100 ships crossed the strait every day -many transporting oil to Asia. After the ceasefire came into force, only The passage of 12 vessels has been recorded.
Trump complained about that situation on his social media platform: “Iran is doing a very poor job, dishonorable some would say“to allow oil to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.”
“That’s not the agreement we have!”Trump wrote about the small number of vessels that have been able to cross the strait.
Doubts also persist about The future of Iran’s missile and nuclear weapons programs -two of the main objectives of the war of the United States and Israel.
Washington insists that Iran should never be able to develop nuclear weapons and wants withdraw the stockpile of highly enriched uranium from Tehranwhich could be used for its manufacture. Iran insists its program is peaceful.
Trump has said that The United States would collaborate with Iran in the removal of uraniumsomething that Tehran has not confirmed.
The head of Iran’s nuclear agency, Mohammad Eslamisaid Thursday that protecting Tehran’s right to enrich uranium is “necessary” for any ceasefire talks.
More than 3,000 people have died in Iran so far in the war, according to a senior Iranian medical official. The government in Tehran has not provided any definitive casualty figures for several weeks.
Agencies AP, AFP and Reuters
