TEHRAN – Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Thursday that Israeli strikes on Lebanon violate the ceasefire agreement and would render negotiations meaningless, adding Iran would not abandon the Lebanese people. In a post on X, he strongly condemned Israel’s renewed military actions in Lebanon, calling them a “blatant violation” of the original ceasefire agreement and a “dangerous sign” of bad faith in diplomatic efforts.
His comments came after Israel carried out its heaviest strikes on Lebanon since the conflict with Hezbollah broke out last month, killing more than 250 people on Wednesday. The strikes have thrown the fragile US-Iran ceasefire, brokered by Pakistan, into immediate jeopardy.
Iran’s Position
Iranian negotiators were expected to set off later on Thursday for Pakistan for the first peace talks of the war, where they are due to meet a delegation led by US Vice President JD Vance on Saturday. But there was no sign Iran had lifted its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which has caused the worst disruption to global energy supplies in history, and Tehran said there would be no deal as long as Israel was striking Lebanon.
The supply shortage drove the price that European and Asian refineries were paying for a physical barrel of oil to record levels near $150 a barrel, with even higher prices for some products such as jet fuel.
Israel’s Position
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel would keep hitting Hezbollah “wherever necessary,” a day after deadly Israeli strikes pummelled Lebanon. “We are continuing to strike Hezbollah with force, precision, and determination,” Netanyahu said in a post on X.
“Our message is clear: anyone who acts against Israeli civilians – we will strike them. We will continue to hit Hezbollah wherever necessary, until we fully restore security to the residents of the north” of Israel, he added.
Israel, which invaded Lebanon last month in parallel with the war on Iran to root out the armed group Hezbollah, Tehran’s ally, says its actions there are not covered by the ceasefire announced late on Tuesday by President Trump.
Differing Interpretations
Washington has also said Lebanon is not covered by the truce, but Iran and Pakistan, which acted as mediators, say it was explicitly part of the deal. A host of countries, including prominent US allies Britain and France, said the truce should extend to Lebanon and condemned Israel’s attacks on the country.
A Pakistani source with knowledge of the discussions said Pakistan was working on ceasefires for Lebanon and Yemen: “It will be discussed during the (upcoming) talks and we will settle it.”
Pakistan’s View
Pakistan’s former ambassador to the United Nations, Maleeha Lodhi, told Al Jazeera that Pakistan’s understanding of the US-Iran ceasefire is the same as Iran’s – Lebanon is meant to be included.
“In the run-up to this ceasefire, Pakistani officials had specifically asked their American counterparts whether they would be able to rein in or restrain Israel, and we were given the assurance that the Americans would do that,” Lodhi said.
Israel’s latest deadly attacks in Lebanon have created even more concern in Islamabad about the ceasefire’s fate and how Iran will react, she added. For now, an Iranian delegation is still expected in Islamabad later today for talks, although it is unclear who will lead it.
IRGC Releases Map for Ships
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) released a map showing alternate shipping routes in the Strait of Hormuz for ships to avoid naval mines, according to local media reports. The circle on the map is labelled an “area of danger.” The IRGC Navy says ships must coordinate with them to avoid naval mines.
World Leaders Welcome Ceasefire
In a joint statement on Thursday, the leaders of Canada, Japan, and many European nations welcomed the “two-week ceasefire concluded between the United States and Iran today.” The release stated that they “thank Pakistan and all partners involved for facilitating this important agreement.” They also extended the ceasefire to Lebanon, saying that they “call upon all sides to implement the ceasefire, including in Lebanon.”
Spain Reopens Embassy
Spain is reopening its embassy in Tehran in hopes of achieving peace in the US-Israeli war on Iran, Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares told reporters on Thursday. “I’ve instructed our ambassador in Tehran to return, to take up his post again and reopen our embassy, and for us to join in this effort for peace from every possible quarter, including from the Iranian capital itself,” Albares said.
Analysis: A Fragile Hope
The US-Iran ceasefire, brokered by Pakistan, was always fragile. But its near-immediate fracturing over Lebanon demonstrates the difficulty of separating conflicts that have become intertwined. Iran views Hezbollah as a strategic ally and an attack on Lebanon as an attack on its interests. Israel views Hezbollah as an existential threat and has made clear that its operations in Lebanon are not subject to the US-Iran agreement.
The differing interpretations of the ceasefire’s scope — with the US and Israel insisting Lebanon is not covered, and Iran and Pakistan insisting it is — represent a fundamental contradiction at the heart of the truce. Unless resolved, the ceasefire may not survive.
As the delegations prepare to meet in Islamabad, the odds of reaching a permanent deal appear slim. The ceasefire may hold for two weeks, but the underlying issues — Iran’s nuclear program, the Strait of Hormuz, and the role of proxies like Hezbollah — remain unresolved. And with Israel continuing to strike Lebanon, Iran’s willingness to negotiate is rapidly diminishing.
