Israeli media have said that Iran has suspended dialogue with the United States in Islamabad. However, neither Tehran nor Washington has received any official confirmation in this regard, which has left the diplomatic process into uncertainty.
The Israeli-based Jerusalem Post, citing other media outlets, said the suspension was believed to have been the result of differences in the inclusion of Lebanon in the next phase of the ongoing ceasefire. The report also said that Lebanon is also interested in participating in possible dialogue.
A two-week ceasefire between the United States, Iran and Israel came into effect after nearly forty days of conflict. A meeting was planned in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, to make this time a permanent compromise.
Earlier, Iran’s ambassador to Pakistan Reza Amiri Moghadam had said on social media that the Iranian delegation would leave for Islamabad. However, the message was later removed, and no reliable information was published on the delegation’s journey or presence. The presence of the U.S. delegation could not be confirmed.
The recent Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon have further complicated the situation. The strike, which took just hours after the ceasefire, reported hundreds of lives and fatalities, most of which were civilians.
According to analysts, diplomatic progress is being hampered by the ambiguity of the terms of the ceasefire, geographical scope and the role of regional allies. This could make it more difficult to restore stability in the Middle East.