US and Iran officials meet Pakistan leader as fighting in Lebanon threatens fragile ceasefire

US and Iranian officials have held separate, high-stakes discussions with Pakistan’s prime minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad, as a fragile ceasefire threatens to unravel amid deep disagreements and unabated fighting in Lebanon.A US delegation, led by Vice President JD Vance, and an Iranian delegation, headed by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, each met with Mr Sharif on Saturday, according to his office. No direct talks between the US and Iran had been announced by mid-afternoon.Iran reiterated elements of its earlier peace proposal, with its delegation informing Iranian state television that it had presented some of the plan’s core ideas as "red lines" during meetings with Mr Sharif.Meanwhile, Israel continued its military operations in Lebanon, even as Iran made a pause in fighting there a condition for further ceasefire negotiations. The Lebanese state-run news agency reported that Israeli strikes on Saturday resulted in the deaths of at least three people.The conflict has exacted a devastating human toll, claiming at least 3,000 lives in Iran, 1,953 in Lebanon, 23 in Israel, and more than a dozen across Gulf Arab states. JD Vance arrived in Islamabad for crucial talks (PA Wire)Economically, the war has largely severed the Persian Gulf from the global economy, leading to soaring energy prices and inflicting lasting damage on infrastructure in half a dozen countries throughout the region.In Tehran, residents expressed a mix of skepticism and hope regarding the talks, following weeks of airstrikes that have carved a path of destruction across their country. Some suggested that even if a peace agreement is reached, the journey to recovery would be extensive."Peace alone is not enough for our country, because we’ve been hit very hard, there have been huge costs, and the people have to pay for that," 62-year-old Amir Razzai Far said in downtown Tehran.Officials engaged in significant posturing over key issues ahead of the discussions. Donald Trump posted repeatedly on social media in the run-up to Saturday, asserting that Iranian officials "have no cards" to negotiate with. "The only reason they are alive today is to negotiate!" he wrote. He accused Iran of using the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for global energy supplies, for extortion, telling reporters on Friday that it would be opened "with or without them."Islamabad was notably quiet on Saturday, with security forces sealing roads and authorities urging residents to remain indoors, giving the normally bustling Pakistani capital the appearance of being under curfew.Vice President Vance stated on Friday that the US was optimistic about the talks, but issued a warning: "If they’re going to try and play us, then they’re going to find that the negotiating team is not that receptive."Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, part of Iran's delegation in Pakistan, expressed Tehran's "deep distrust" stemming from previous strikes on Iran during earlier rounds of talks. Mr Araghchi said on Saturday that his country was prepared to retaliate if attacked again.Iran and the United States had outlined competing proposals ahead of the weekend talks, reflecting the wide gulf between the two sides on critical issues. Iran’s 10-point proposal called for a guaranteed end to the war and no future attacks, an end to economic sanctions, and control over the Strait of Hormuz. It also demanded an end to fighting against Iran’s "regional allies”, explicitly calling for a halt to Israeli strikes on Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group. The United States submitted a 15-point proposal that included restricting Iran’s nuclear programme and reopening the strait.Separate negotiations between Israel and Lebanon are anticipated to commence on Tuesday in Washington, according to Lebanese President Joseph Aoun’s office. First responders rush to the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted the Lebanese State Security Center, in the Southern Lebanese city of Nabatieh on Friday (AFP via Getty Images)Israel seeks for the Lebanese government to assume responsibility for disarming Hezbollah, mirroring provisions in a November 2024 ceasefire. However, it remains unclear whether Lebanon's army can establish a monopoly on arms or confiscate weapons from the militant group, which has resisted efforts to curb its strength for decades.Israel’s insistence that the ceasefire in Iran does not include a pause in its fighting with Hezbollah has threatened to derail the broader deal. The militant group joined the war in support of its backer, Iran, in the opening days of the conflict. On the day the truce was announced, Israel pounded Beirut with airstrikes, killing more than 300 people in the deadliest day in the country since the war began on 28 February, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.The Strait of Hormuz remains a significant sticking point. Iran’s closure of the strait has proven its biggest strategic advantage in the war, effectively blocking the passage of oil, natural gas, and fertilizer as commercial vessels avoid the route. The spot price of Brent crude, the international benchmark for oil prices, stood above $94 on Saturday, an increase of more than 30 per cent since the war began. Before the conflict, approximately a fifth of the world’s traded oil typically passed through the strait on over 100 ships daily. With the ceasefire in place, only 12 have been recorded traversing the strait. Iran has suggested charging ships passing through the strait as part of a peace deal, though this idea has been widely rejected by countries including the United States and neighboring Oman.