Middle East conflict: developments three days before ceasefire expiration
via Le Matin2 min read
A US delegation is scheduled to arrive in Pakistan on Monday to resume negotiations with Iran, as President Donald Trump warned of destroying Iranian infrastructure if talks fail. Security has been heightened in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, with road closures and checkpoints, ahead of the peace talks. Both the US and Iran have accused each other of violating the ceasefire; President Trump cited attacks in the Strait of Hormuz, while Iran referred to the American naval blockade as an illegal act. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that the army is instructed to use "full force" in Lebanon if Israeli troops are threatened, following the death of a second Israeli soldier since the ceasefire began. International flights from Iran's Mashhad airport are set to resume on Monday. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan expressed optimism about a ceasefire extension between Iran and the US, though he noted some points need clarification. The Lebanese army has reopened roads and repaired bridges damaged by Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon. Turkey also accused Israel of attempting to create a "fait accompli" in Lebanon despite the ceasefire. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned an attack that killed one French peacekeeper and injured three others in southern Lebanon, marking the third such incident in weeks involving UNIFIL peacekeepers.
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