The Albany Gazette - US envoys headed to Pakistan for Iran war talks

Already in Islamabad, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met Field Marshal Asim Munir, Pakistan's army chief and a key figure in the country's mediation efforts, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Aragchi, according to a statement from the foreign ministry, thanked Pakistan for its efforts to establish the ceasefire but also "explained our country's principled positions regarding the latest developments related to the ceasefire and the complete end of the imposed war against Iran".

Sealing a deal to end the Middle East war remains a thorny proposition, even as urgency mounts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital conduit for the world's oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG).

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would leave for Pakistan on Saturday "to engage in talks... with representatives from the Iranian delegation".

"The Iranians reached out, as the president called on them to do, and asked for this in-person conversation," Leavitt said, adding that the talks would "hopefully move the ball forward towards a deal".

Leavitt said Vice President JD Vance, who led a first round of negotiations in Islamabad two weeks ago, would not be joining for the time being, but was on "standby to fly to Pakistan if necessary".

It remained unclear, however, whether the Iranian side would meet directly with the US envoys.

Iranian state television said that Araghchi had no plans to meet with the Americans, and that Islamabad would serve as a bridge to "convey" Iranian proposals.

Pakistan's foreign ministry said Araghchi had arrived in Islamabad to discuss "ongoing efforts for regional peace and stability" with Pakistani officials, without directly referencing talks with Witkoff and Kushner.

An Iranian spokesman said Araghchi would later visit Oman and Russia to discuss efforts to end the war, which was launched against Iran by Israel and the United States on February 28.

- Opening Hormuz 'vital' -

Iran's military, meanwhile, remained defiant on Saturday.

In a statement carried by state media, the military's central command said that if "the invading US military continues blockading, banditry, and piracy in the region, they should be certain that they will face a response from Iran's powerful armed forces".

Since the last round of talks, efforts to bring the two sides back to the table have hit an impasse, with Iran refusing to participate as long as a US naval blockade on its ports remains in place.

Iran has imposed a de facto blockade of its own on the Strait of Hormuz, allowing only a trickle of ships to pass through the vital waterway, throwing global energy markets into turmoil.

Oil prices slid on Friday amid hopes that fresh peace talks would see an end to Tehran's disruption of trade through the strait.

European Council President Antonio Costa said the strait "must immediately reopen without restrictions and without tolling".

"This is vital for the entire world," Costa said.

- 'Destroyed' -

On Thursday, US President Donald Trump announced a three-week ceasefire extension in Lebanon and spoke in glowing terms of peace prospects for the country after meeting with Israeli and Lebanese envoys. He voiced hope for a three-way meeting with Lebanon and Israel's leaders.

The two countries have been officially at war for decades, and until last week officials had not met directly since 1993.

But Mohammed Raad, the head of the parliamentary bloc for Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah, urged the Lebanese government to withdraw from direct talks with Israel and warned that a lasting peace deal of the kind sought by Trump "will in no way enjoy Lebanese national consensus".

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has vowed to destroy Hezbollah, said: "We have started a process to reach a historic peace between Israel and Lebanon, and it's clear to us that Hezbollah is trying to sabotage this."

Despite the ceasefire, Lebanon's health ministry said Israeli strikes on Saturday in the Nabatieh district of the south of the country had killed four people.

In the coastal city of Sidon, Ahmad Shumar and his family were preparing to head back to their hometown in the south this week, after giving up on a previous attempt due to fears of Israeli attacks.

"We are going home now, not knowing whether there will be war or peace -- we will see," the 74-year-old said, surrounded by bags and mattresses.

While Shumar said he hoped the ceasefire became permanent, he rejected any direct talks between Lebanon and Israel.

"Direct negotiations mean recognising the enemy," which he said he could not abide.

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(A.Johnson--TAG)