Iran and US Open Ceasefire Talks in Islamabad on Day 43 of Conflict

Ahead of the talks, Vance said Washington was ready to negotiate if Iran acted in good faith, while warning Tehran not to test US resolve. Iranian officials have approached the meeting with caution and are pressing demands linked to sanctions relief, blocked assets and the fighting in Lebanon, all of which remain major obstacles to a broader agreement.

The diplomacy is unfolding as violence continues across the region. Israeli strikes in Lebanon this week killed more than 300 people in the deadliest single day of the current round of fighting, and Lebanese authorities say the total death toll since early March has climbed past 1,900. Fighting between Israel and Hezbollah also continued on Friday, showing how unstable the wider ceasefire remains.

The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the main issues hanging over the Islamabad talks. Shipping through the waterway has been heavily disrupted, global energy markets have been shaken, and the economic fallout has added to inflation pressure in the United States and elsewhere. President Donald Trump said the strait would reopen soon and warned of fresh military action if the negotiations fail.

Separate diplomatic efforts are also building around Lebanon. Israeli and Lebanese officials are expected to meet in Washington on Tuesday under US mediation, though Beirut is seeking a ceasefire first while Israel says its campaign against Hezbollah will continue until its security demands are met.