Iran’s president, Masoud Pezeshkian, arrived in Pakistan Tuesday to meet with officials mediating talks on a permanent end to the war with the US, as discrepancies emerged on what had been agreed upon so far and violence broke out again in Lebanon.
The visit comes as technical teams work on details following high-level negotiations in Switzerland between the US and Iran, with President Pezeshkian set to hold a joint news conference with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif after their discussions.
Iran US War Talks
The talks in Switzerland led to the creation of specific negotiation groups, including those focused on sanctions relief, nuclear issues, reconstruction, and monitoring, according to the Iranian state-run news agency.
The US and Iran agreed to create a “de-confliction cell” to address the fighting in Lebanon between Israel and the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah, with Iran suggesting that the talks led to the creation of a contact mechanism over ships moving through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmail Baghaei, told reporters that no visits were scheduled for the UN watchdog to examine Iranian nuclear sites bombed by the US last year, contradicting US Vice President JD Vance’s statement that the negotiations won an agreement for the inspectors to visit the sites.
Renewed Violence in Lebanon
Violence flared again in southern Lebanon as Israeli soldiers opened fire, killing two people, after two days of calm following a ceasefire brokered on Saturday, with Iran demanding that a full truce in Lebanon be part of any comprehensive deal.
The renewed violence could threaten the broader diplomatic talks, with President Pezeshkian cautioning that “the effectiveness of the talks depends on full commitment to the agreed obligations and their precise implementation.”
The visit and ongoing talks are crucial in ending the war between the US and Iran, which has significant implications for global security and the Middle East region, and a successful outcome could pave the way for a more stable and peaceful future.
