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In Islamabad, preparations are underway for secret negotiations between Iran and the United States. However, Iranian demands related to Lebanon and the continuation of Israeli strikes are destabilizing the dialogue, which could fail even before its official opening.
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Islamabad (Pakistan) is on high alert. The capital of Pakistan has been completely sealed off, with roads closed. Everything is set for the talks between Iran and the United States, scheduled to take place in a luxury hotel. U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance left the United States in the early afternoon of April 10. He is the one expected to lead the negotiation team. On the tarmac, he said: “I think it’s going to be positive. As the President of the United States has said, if the Iranians are ready to negotiate in good faith, we are more than willing to reach out to them.”
However, the Iranians are casting doubt on their presence in Pakistan. They are conditioning the start of negotiations on a ceasefire in Lebanon, in addition to the one already in place in Iran. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf wrote: “Lebanon is the entire axis of resistance. As an ally of Iran, it is an inseparable part of the ceasefire.”
Yet, there is still no ceasefire in Lebanon. Israel continues to bomb the country. Eight members of the Lebanese security forces were killed on April 10. Israel has announced negotiations next week with Lebanon, but the Israeli state has no intention of halting these bombings. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated: “There is no ceasefire with Lebanon. We continue to strike Hezbollah with force.”
Meanwhile, Hezbollah rejects any idea of negotiations with Israel. This was revealed by supporters of the Lebanese Shiite movement to our team during a visit organized by Hezbollah in one of its strongholds in the southern suburbs of Beirut. A woman said: “They are terrorists. They only live off the blood of men.”
The issue of Lebanon highlights the fragility of these negotiations between Iran and the United States, which could fail even before they begin.
