Diplomats worked tirelessly on Friday to preserve the fragile agreement between Iran and the United States after Israeli strikes in Lebanon led Iran to withdraw from peace talks. Shortly after, Israel announced a cease-fire in Lebanon with Iran’s ally, Hezbollah.
The temporary withdrawal by Iran from talks with the United States created a significant setback to the framework agreement signed earlier by President Trump. Negotiations for a lasting peace agreement were planned to start a few hours later in Switzerland.
Although the truce with Iran faced challenges, it remained intact for the moment, with no suggestion of indefinite delays to the discussions. Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz increased, although it stayed significantly below prewar levels.
Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, confirmed Israel’s commitment to an immediate cease-fire. President Trump informed NBC News that he requested Israeli leaders to agree to a cease-fire in Lebanon, describing it as “a little icing on the cake.” He did not confirm if he had spoken with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Hezbollah has not publicly confirmed agreeing to the cease-fire.
The day’s events highlighted the delicacy of the U.S.-Iran agreement and Lebanon’s critical role in it. The first point of the agreement commits both countries and their allies in the current war to permanently end military operations, including in Lebanon. However, neither Israel, which is at war with Iran and the United States, nor Hezbollah, backed by Iran, has signed the agreement.
Lebanon experienced relative calm after the cease-fire was set to begin at 4 p.m. local time. It came after intense Israeli bombing during the night, which reportedly killed 47 people and wounded 97, according to Lebanon’s health ministry. The ministry did not specify if those affected were civilians or combatants.
Officials confirmed the cease-fire, indicating it was brokered by Qatar and the United States. They also confirmed Iran’s withdrawal from talks, preferring to remain anonymous due to the sensitive nature of the diplomacy.