Israel, Lebanon Likely To Hold Talks In US Next Week; Mojtaba Khamenei Vows ‘Revenge’ | Top Points

Last Updated:April 10, 2026, 04:28 IST

Lebanon has spent the last 24 hours advocating for a temporary ceasefire to allow for broader talks with Israel.

US-Israel-Iran War: A ceasefire truce to halt the ongoing US-Iran-Israel war appeared fragile on Thursday after Tehran closed the Strait of Hormuz again in retaliation for Israel’s wave of strikes on Lebanon. Washington sought to keep peace talks on track, demanding that the crucial waterway be reopened.

Following the Israeli strikes on Lebanon, Iran accused the United States of violating three key provisions of a proposed 10-point negotiation framework even before talks could begin. Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said that three core clauses of the plan had already been breached, including commitments related to a ceasefire in Lebanon, respect for Iranian airspace, and Tehran’s right to uranium enrichment.

Israel To Begin Direct Talks With Lebanon

Meanwhile, a day after striking Lebanon, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday said that he has authorised direct negotiations with Lebanon “as soon as possible".

“In light of Lebanon’s repeated requests to open direct negotiations with Israel, I instructed the cabinet yesterday to start direct negotiations with Lebanon as soon as possible," Netanyahu said in a statement. “The negotiations will focus on disarming Hezbollah and establishing peaceful relations between Israel and Lebanon," he added.

As per AP report, the negotiations are expected to take place at the US State Department next week, with discussions handled on the American side by US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa and on the Israeli side by Israel’s Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter. However, it wasn’t clear who will represent Lebanon.

Hezbollah Denies Proposal

However, Hezbollah has pushed back strongly to the proposal of holding peace talks in Washington. A Hezbollah lawmaker on Thursday dismissed any possibility of direct talks with Israel.

“We reiterate our rejection of any direct negotiations between Lebanon and the Israeli enemy, and the necessity of upholding national principles, foremost among them the Israeli withdrawal, the cessation of hostilities, and the return of residents to their villages and towns," Ali Fayyad said in a statement shared by the Iran-backed group’s media channels.

Lebanon Advocating For Ceasefire

Meanwhile, Lebanon has spent the last 24 hours advocating for a temporary ceasefire to allow for broader talks with Israel, a senior Lebanese official told news agency Reuters.

He told the news agency that it would be a “separate track but the same model" as a fragile truce brokered by Pakistan between the US and Iran. The official said that no date or location has been set yet but Lebanon needs the US as a mediator and guarantor of any agreement.

Trump Asked Netanyahu To Dial Down Lebanon Strikes

Meanwhile, Trump had asked Netanyahu in a phone call yesterday to scale back the Lebanon strikes to safeguard the success of Iran talks, NBC News reported.

According to the report, a senior US administration official said that the phone call happened after Netanyahu vowed to continue attacking Lebanon on Wednesday.

IDF Continues Attacks In Lebanon

Even as Netanyahu called for direct talks with Lebanon, the Israeli forces continued to attack what they claimed were Hezbollah-linked sites across Lebanon on Thursday.

“A short while ago, the IDF began striking Hezbollah launch sites in Lebanon," the Israeli military said in a statement.

Trump ‘Very Optimistic’ On Iran Peace Deal

Meanwhile, Trump has said that he remains optimistic about a peace deal with Iran in Islamabad despite the fragile ceasefire.

In a telephonic interview with NBC News, the US President said that Iran’s leaders are “reasonable" and they “talk much differently" in a meeting compared to the press.

“They’re agreeing to all the things that they have to agree to. Remember, they’ve been conquered. They have no military."

Elaborating further, the US President noted that if Tehran does not agree to a deal, it is going to be “very painful" for them.

“If they don’t make a deal, it’s going to be very painful," Trump added.

Mojtaba Khamenei Vows ‘Revenge’

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, said on Thursday that the country is determined to avenge the killing of Iran’s former leader and his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as April 9 marked 40 days since his death.

He described the killing as a serious crime by enemies of Iran and Islam, saying that 40 days have passed since the martyrdom of a leader he called a guiding figure for the nation and the broader Muslim community.

He also said that Iran would move the management of the Strait of Hormuz into a “new phase" and demanded compensation for all losses, stressing that the country would not relinquish its rights while viewing the broader “Resistance Front" as a unified force.

Stage Set In Islamabad For Peace Talks

Meanwhile, the stage is set as Pakistan prepares to host delegations from the United States and Iran for negotiations over the ongoing war in West Asia. As per the talks schedule, arrivals of delegations are set to begin late Friday night and continue into Saturday.

The White House has said that US Vice President JD Vance will lead the American delegation to Islamabad “this weekend" for the talks. Along with Vance, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and Senior Advisor to the President Jared Kushner will be part of the delegation. Senior officials from the White House and the Pentagon will also be part of the negotiation team.

The Iranian side will be led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Iran’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Dr. Reza Amiri Moghadam, along with other officials, will also be part of the delegation.

(With inputs from agencies)

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