On Friday, a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah was reached in Lebanon, according to a U.S. official. This development comes after heightened hostilities threatened the prospects for transforming a temporary agreement on the Iran conflict into a sustainable Middle East peace treaty.
Planned discussions between the U.S. and Iran, set to occur in Switzerland on Friday, were called off due to the intensifying conflict in Lebanon. This cancellation has cast doubt on the timeline for pivotal negotiations aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz for international shipping.
A senior U.S. official announced that the ceasefire was set to take effect at approximately 4 p.m. Lebanon time (1300 GMT).
“Following today’s earlier exchanges of fire, we understand that Israel and Hezbollah have agreed to a ceasefire,” the official stated, speaking anonymously. The agreement was facilitated by U.S. and Qatari negotiators, with support from Iran.
The recent escalation in Lebanon, which resulted in the deaths of 18 people from airstrikes and four Israeli soldiers at the hands of Hezbollah militants, poses a significant challenge to the broader negotiations. The cessation of hostilities in Lebanon is a crucial condition for the wider U.S.-Iran agreement.
A senior Hezbollah lawmaker said Iran had told the group that talks with the United States could not continue without a comprehensive ceasefire.
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson did not mention the talks but said the United States bore direct responsibility for Israeli attacks on Lebanon and that Tehran would take all necessary measures to protect its interests.