Negotiation Team Has Not Arrived in Pakistan, Iran Refuses to Negotiate with the US Before the Attack in Lebanon is Stopped

JAKARTA - Iran is reluctant to negotiate with the United States until the attack on Lebanon is stopped, with the negotiation team not yet arriving in Pakistan, where the talks will be held.

Iran's Fars news agency reported that Tehran officially informed Pakistani authorities that they would not participate in peace talks with the US in Islamabad until a ceasefire was established in Lebanon, citing an anonymous source familiar with the matter, as reported by Anadolu (10/4).

Fars quoted a source familiar with the matter as saying that Iran's negotiating team had not arrived in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad.

The news agency denied reports from several US media that the Iranian negotiating delegation had arrived in Islamabad.

Citing an anonymous source, the news agency claimed Iran had officially informed Pakistani authorities that they would not participate in peace talks until a ceasefire was established in Lebanon.

Previously, the Wall Street Journal reported that an Iranian delegation had arrived in Islamabad to begin negotiations with Washington.

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Esmaeil Baghaei, also stated that any talks aimed at ending the war between Iran, the US and Israel would depend on Washington respecting the ceasefire commitments on all fronts, especially in Lebanon.

The latest developments come as Israeli attacks on Lebanon have escalated despite ongoing diplomatic efforts related to a two-week ceasefire announced Tuesday by the US and Iran and mediated by Pakistan.

Although Pakistani and Iranian mediators said the ceasefire also included Lebanon, Washington and Tel Aviv denied it.

The Israeli army has stepped up its attacks across Lebanon since Wednesday, killing at least 303 people and wounding 1,150 others, according to the Lebanese Civil Defense.

The widespread Israeli attacks in Lebanon since March 2 have killed 1,888 people and injured 6,092 others, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health.