FT: US-Iran talks called off due to Israeli attacks in Lebanon
Talks between Iran and the United States in Switzerland were postponed due to Israel launching a wave of deadly air strikes on southern Lebanon, according to the Financial Times (FT), citing three people familiar with the matter.
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FT: US-Iran talks called off due to Israeli attacks in Lebanon
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Iran did not send a delegation to the Bürgenstock resort overlooking Lake Lucerne for the nuclear talks because of the attacks, the sources said. “The Iranians have asked for guarantees that hostilities in Lebanon will end, as outlined in the signed agreement, and mediators are currently working to resolve the issue,” said a diplomat familiar with the matter.
Israeli attacks on Beirut have repeatedly threatened to derail negotiations between the United States and Iran, with US President Donald Trump openly expressing his frustration at Israel’s insistence on continuing its offensive, the FT noted.
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Iran has maintained its firm stance of “no Lebanon, no deal”, said a second source familiar with the negotiations, adding that Tehran believes it has the upper hand and can secure concessions from Washington regarding Israel’s war against Lebanon.
According to the first diplomat, the Iranians’ message was: “We held [Lebanese militant group] Hizbollah back, the US is unable to hold Israel back. Until they do we won’t come.”
Two of the sources reported that the talks had been provisionally rescheduled for Monday, but that this depended on the situation in Lebanon. A third source stated that the length of the postponement has yet to be confirmed.
The FT reported that the Israeli military said it had struck more than 80 targets in Lebanon in response to what it said were “repeated violations of the ceasefire” by the Lebanese militant group. It said the strikes killed dozens of Hizbollah militants and that it was conducting further strikes on Friday morning, including in the Bekaa Valley.
Translated from Italian, sub-edited by ts
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