French President Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday that he urged his US and Iranian counterparts, Donald Trump and Masoud Pezeshkian, to include Lebanon in the ceasefire reached with Iran.
Lebanon declared a national day of mourning on Thursday after Israeli strikes pummelled the country, killing nearly 200 people and calling into question the ceasefire between the United States and Iran.
The United States has dispatched Vice President JD Vance, along with senior envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, to Islamabad for high-stakes talks with Iran aimed at securing a lasting ceasefire.
The move drew global praise, with leaders and social media users lauding Pakistan’s leadership for stepping in at a critical moment to defuse tensions.
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Wednesday that Islamabad would host delegations from the United States and Iran later this week following the Mideast ceasefire announcement.
Pakistan has emerged as a key intermediary between Iran and the United States to secure a temporary ceasefire and host negotiations to end the war in the Middle East.
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he had agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran, less than two hours before his deadline for Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz
Trump has threatened to target Iran’s power plants and bridges if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened. Experts warn such attacks could trigger unprecedented global oil shortages and destabilize energy markets.
Iran rejected a U.S.-brokered ceasefire and called for a permanent end to the war, while Trump threatened to destroy all bridges and power plants if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed.
