Key facts
- Iran's Foreign Minister stated a proposed MoU with the US would end conflicts on all fronts, including Lebanon, and lift the naval blockade.
- Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif indicated a US-Iran deal could be finalized within 24 hours.
- Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei suggested the deal might be signed in the coming days, not Sunday.
- An analyst noted Iran's recent bombardment of Israel as a message regarding Lebanon's inclusion in any deal.
- The Israeli military reported striking over 70 Hezbollah sites in southern Lebanon in the past day.
Iran and the United States are signaling that an agreement to end their conflict is within reach, with Pakistan mediating the talks. Iran's Foreign Minister stated that a proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the US would resolve conflicts on all fronts, including Lebanon, and lift the naval blockade. Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed confidence that the deal could be finalized within 24 hours, with an electronic signing to follow.
However, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei indicated that the deal would not be signed on Sunday but did not rule out its finalization in the "coming days." He also noted that the current focus is on ending the war, with no discussion of nuclear issues at this stage.
Analysts suggest that Iran's recent bombardment of Israel was a clear message regarding its insistence on including Lebanon in any peace agreement, despite reported US pressure to separate the issues. Meanwhile, the Israeli military reported striking over 70 Hezbollah sites in southern Lebanon in the past day, and the Lebanese army stated a soldier was severely injured in two separate Israeli attacks.
Senior Iranian cleric Ayatollah Mohsen Araki cautioned negotiators to remain within the supreme leader's directives, emphasizing the need to demonstrate power. Separately, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations reported that a tanker was struck by an unknown projectile six nautical miles east of Oman, with the crew reported safe.