Israel’s strikes derail planned U.S.-Iran talks in Switzerland

Planned talks between Iran and the United States in Switzerland were temporarily suspended on Friday, after Tehran said it wanted guarantees that the Israeli strikes in Lebanon would stop before returning to the table. A diplomatic source familiar with the matter told CNN that the Iranians are conditioning their return to negotiations with Washington on a ceasefire in Lebanon.

According to the source, Iran is seeking assurances that the fighting will end as set out in a previously signed agreement. The talks between Washington and Tehran have now been delayed because of the Israeli attacks, and no estimated date has been given for when they might resume.

Mediators are reportedly working to bridge the dispute and get the sides back into discussions. Separately, a Pakistani Foreign Ministry official told Al Araby Al Jadeed that the Israeli strikes in Lebanon are challenging the understandings reached between the United States and Iran.

That official argued that the current situation requires the American administration to pressure Israel to stop the bombings.