Pakistan is set to host the anticipated talks between Iran and the US on Friday, marking the third day of the fragile ceasefire between the two sides. However, Tehran’s participation remains uncertain following Israeli attacks that killed more than 300 people in Lebanon on Wednesday.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Thursday that the attacks, blasted as the most intense since the start of the war on Lebanon, could render the planned talks with the US “meaningless.”
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei also stressed that any talks aimed at ending the war depend on Washington respecting its ceasefire commitments across all fronts, particularly in Lebanon, according to ISNA.
In the same context, Ahmad Naderi, a member of the Iranian parliament’s presidium, told Al Mayadeen that Iran “will not engage in negotiations unless Lebanon and the ceasefire are part of the agenda.”
He added that “there will be no negotiations if the United States and the Zionist entity continue violating the agreement.”
Naderi further stated that the US and “Israel” had already breached three provisions of the deal since Wednesday, leaving the fate of the talks uncertain.
It is noteworthy that when announcing the ceasefire between “Iran, the United States, and their allies,” mediator Pakistan said the truce applied “everywhere, including Lebanon.” However, the US and “Israel” later claimed that the provision was not part of the deal.
Islamabad turns into ‘ghost town’ as talks approach
In Islamabad, heightened security measures have transformed the city into a near “ghost town.” Authorities declared Thursday and Friday public holidays, while the luxury hotel designated for delegations was cleared of guests.
On the US side, Vice President JD Vance is expected to lead the talks alongside President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner, according to the White House.
Despite the apparent gaps between the two sides, Trump expressed confidence on NBC News on Thursday that a diplomatic agreement with Iran could soon be reached, as Washington seeks to consolidate gains from a war it launched alongside “Israel” but failed to win.
However, Iran’s state television made no mention of the talks in its main Friday morning news bulletin.
Iranian media cast further doubt on the talks. Tasnim news agency quoted an unnamed source as saying that reports of an Iranian delegation arriving in Islamabad are “completely false.”
The source added that “as long as the United States does not respect its ceasefire commitments in Lebanon, and the Zionist entity continues its attacks, the negotiations will be suspended.”
Read More: Muhammad Baqir Qalibaf Warns US, Israel Over Attacks on Lebanon
Nuclear program remains key sticking point
Even if talks proceed, major disagreements persist. The discussions are expected to address Iran’s nuclear program, a central point of contention, and will be centered around Iran’s 10-point plan.
The Head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization Mohammad Eslami rejected any restrictions on uranium enrichment, dismissing US and Israeli demands.
“Demands by our enemies to restrict Iran’s enrichment program are nothing but wishful thinking that will be buried,” he said in remarks to ISNA.
Tehran maintains that its nuclear program has been developed for solely civilian purposes, asserting that nuclear weapons are not within its objectives.
Strait of Hormuz still disrupted
Meanwhile, traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, whose reopening was a key condition of the ceasefire, remains largely stalled, particularly due to the Israeli violations.
According to Parliament Speaker Mohammad Ghalibaf, three clauses of the agreement were violated, prompting the closure of the strategic waterway, including:
- Ceasefire in Lebanon – The first clause of the proposal, which Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan also explicitly referenced, calls for “an immediate ceasefire everywhere, including Lebanon and other regions, effective immediately.” Ghalibaf noted this commitment has not been honored.
- Violation of Iranian Airspace – An intruding drone entered Iranian airspace and was subsequently destroyed in Lar, Fars Province, in direct contravention of the clause prohibiting such violations.
- Right to Nuclear Enrichment – Iran’s entitlement to enrichment, included in the sixth clause of the framework, has been denied.
