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Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that there was “major progress” in talks with the United States over ending the war between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. He went on to laud the Pakistani and Qatari mediation, as the delegates lined up in Switzerland for the peace talks.
“Pakistani and Qatari mediation has delivered major progress to end Lebanon War,” Araghchi wrote on X. He said the establishment of a de-confliction cell in the Lebanon conflict is the “1st real test.” He also listed other areas of progress. “Oil and petrochem exports are waived, blockade lifted, some frozen assets released, and major reconstruction & development plan launched for Iran.”
The remarks were significant since the conflict in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah has continued despite multiple declarations of ceasefire.
It is pertinent to note that the memorandum of understanding signed between the US and Iran declared a ceasefire in Lebanon, but Israel has vowed to keep its military in a buffer zone in the country’s south.
A video of the moment Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif got to know that the Iranian delegates were staging a walkout went viral online, reflecting the diplomatic undercurrents that were in play at that moment in Switzerland. Things went downhill after US President Donald Trump’s threat disrupted the
US-Iran negotiations in Switzerland
, prompting the Iranian team to stage a brief walkout.
In the video, Sharif was seen greeting Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi with a hug, clearly expecting things to go well. However, the Iranian diplomat declined a photo-op or opening speeches and left the room with his team.
Visibly shocked, the Pakistani premier then sent the country’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi with the Iranian team as he discussed the matter with another key player, Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir.
In the same video, US Vice President
JD Vance was seen watching the whole thing play out. Munir and Sharif were later seen briefing him about the situation in an apologetic manner. Looking at the video, several political analysts pointed out that it reflected months of Pakistan’s efforts to bring the two sides to the negotiating table, undone by just one threat from Trump.
“Pakistani and Qatari mediation has delivered major progress to end Lebanon War,” Araghchi wrote on X. He said the establishment of a de-confliction cell in the Lebanon conflict is the “1st real test.” He also listed other areas of progress. “Oil and petrochem exports are waived, blockade lifted, some frozen assets released, and major reconstruction & development plan launched for Iran.”
The remarks were significant since the conflict in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah has continued despite multiple declarations of ceasefire.
It is pertinent to note that the memorandum of understanding signed between the US and Iran declared a ceasefire in Lebanon, but Israel has vowed to keep its military in a buffer zone in the country’s south.
Iran walks away
A video of the moment Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif got to know that the Iranian delegates were staging a walkout went viral online, reflecting the diplomatic undercurrents that were in play at that moment in Switzerland. Things went downhill after US President Donald Trump’s threat disrupted the
In the video, Sharif was seen greeting Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi with a hug, clearly expecting things to go well. However, the Iranian diplomat declined a photo-op or opening speeches and left the room with his team.
Visibly shocked, the Pakistani premier then sent the country’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi with the Iranian team as he discussed the matter with another key player, Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir.
In the same video, US Vice President
