US-Iran Ceasefire Under Strain Ahead of Pakistan Talks

Pakistan. The two-week ceasefire process between the United States and Iran has come under further pressure. The negotiation process is strained following an escalation in tensions before the scheduled talks in Pakistan.

Talks between the two sides are set to take place in Islamabad on Saturday. The US has accused Iran of violating the agreement in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran, meanwhile, has made the ongoing Israeli offensive in Lebanon a central point of contention regarding the ceasefire.

US President Donald Trump commented on social media that Iran is doing a very poor job regarding the resumption of oil supplies through the waterway. While he claimed that oil supplies would resume soon, he did not clarify what steps would be taken to achieve this.

It is reported that only one oil tanker and five other vessels passed through the waterway in the first 24 hours of the ceasefire, whereas approximately 140 ships typically transit daily under normal conditions. This has created a significant disruption in global energy supplies.

Meanwhile, Israel continues its strikes on targets belonging to the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah. The Israeli military reported attacking 10 rocket launch sites on Friday morning. Hezbollah has also claimed to have fired missiles toward northern Israel.

The US and Israel have stated that Lebanon cannot be included in the current ceasefire, but Iran and the mediator, Pakistan, claim that Lebanon is part of the agreement. Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated that Lebanon and regional allies are an integral part of the ceasefire.

The US-Iran talks in Pakistan on Saturday will attempt to resolve the ongoing conflict. Iran previously released a 10-point proposal demanding the maintenance of its control over the Strait of Hormuz, the recognition of its right to nuclear enrichment, and the lifting of sanctions. Meanwhile, Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei warned of retaliation for attacks on Thursday.