Report: Diplomatic Moves to Save Ceasefire and De-escalation in Lebanon

SadaNews - Today, Thursday, diplomatic efforts continue to save the ceasefire between the United States and Iran, amidst rising tensions following Israel's escalating attacks on Lebanon and Iranian accusations of breaching agreements, putting the entire negotiation process before a decisive test in the coming hours.

According to informed Iranian sources speaking to "Al-Araby Al-Jadeed", the Pakistani mediator and other parties are conducting "intensive diplomatic efforts" to contain the escalation, while messages continue to be exchanged between Tehran and Washington through Islamabad, with an Iranian focus on the necessity for the United States to commit fully to the terms of the temporary ceasefire agreement.

The sources clarified that Tehran links its participation in the Pakistan negotiations to stopping the attacks on Lebanon and obtaining a tangible American commitment to the terms of the agreement, indicating that it has received "promises" in this context, but is monitoring developments on the ground before making its final decision regarding involvement in the talks.

The sources confirmed that the coming hours are "crucial" in determining whether Israel will commit to the ceasefire in Lebanon, warning that Iran is "determined to respond" if violations persist, while the Pakistani mediator has requested additional time to try to contain the situation and prevent the collapse of the understanding.

In the same context, the sources indicated that recent American statements have deepened Tehran's mistrust, increasing its doubts regarding the efficacy of the negotiations, especially given the discrepancy between the declared positions and the understandings reached through mediation.

For his part, the commander of the "Quds Force" in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, Ismail Qaani, threatened that a "hard and regretful punishment awaits the enemy", referring to the attacks on Lebanon, considering that the "fighters" on the resistance front have "taught the enemies of humanity lessons that will make them regret", as he put it.

In parallel, a senior source in the Pakistani foreign ministry revealed that President Donald Trump's position, which excluded Lebanon from the truce agreement, was "very shocking" to the Pakistani mediator, explaining that Islamabad has repeatedly emphasized the necessity of including Lebanon in the agreement, and that Tehran rejected any understanding that does not include all fronts, including Lebanon and Yemen.

The source indicated that the Pakistani mediator had previously received American assurances to include Lebanon in the ceasefire for two weeks, but Washington "suddenly reneged" on this provision, and perhaps on other provisions, which surprised the Pakistani side and threatened the mediation process.

In this context, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf stated that breaching three main clauses of the agreed framework with Washington renders the ceasefire and negotiations "meaningless", identifying these violations as the continuation of attacks on Lebanon, breaching Iranian airspace, and refusing to recognize Iran's right to enrich uranium.

Earlier today, the Iranian ambassador to Pakistan deleted a post of his on the "X" platform regarding the arrival of an Iranian delegation in Islamabad on Thursday evening in preparation for talks with the United States, as his move was considered premature according to an embassy official speaking to "AFP".

On Thursday morning, the Iranian ambassador in Pakistan, Reza Amiri Moghadam, wrote on "X": "Despite Iranian public skepticism due to repeated violations of the ceasefire by the Israeli regime to sabotage the diplomatic initiative proposed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the Iranian delegation will arrive tonight in Islamabad for serious discussions based on the ten points proposed by Iran".

An official at the Iranian embassy in Islamabad reported that the post was removed "due to problems", refusing to confirm the presence of his country's delegation. In response to other inquiries, he merely stated that due to "timing... we should not have broadcast it", referring to the post.

This step raises questions about the attendance of the Iranian delegation at the negotiations, despite confirmations from both Tehran and Washington regarding participation in the talks sponsored by Pakistan.

Washington and Tehran have agreed to a ceasefire, with talks scheduled to begin on Friday in Pakistan aimed at reaching a long-term agreement. The White House announced it had assigned U.S. Vice President Jay D. Vance to the negotiations in Islamabad "this weekend".

Pakistani authorities declared Thursday and Friday as public holidays in Islamabad. They did not provide any justification for their decision, but such measures are often taken for security reasons in preparation for important diplomatic activities.