Iran is demanding guarantees that the war in Lebanon will end as a condition for continuing negotiations with the United States, CNN reported Friday. A diplomatic source said mediators are trying to resolve the issue, and for now the talks in Switzerland have been postponed.
Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said overnight that “any violation of the agreement or excessive demands will be met with a harsh response.” Later in the day he said the talks with Washington would remain subject to Tehran’s “red lines.” Switzerland’s foreign ministry then said the U.S.-Iran talks scheduled for Geneva would not take place as planned after the Iranian delegation canceled its arrival overnight, citing “Israeli strikes in Lebanon.” The White House separately said Vice President J.D. Vance would not travel to Switzerland.
The diplomatic delay comes amid a sharp escalation in Lebanon, where the IDF intensified strikes on Hezbollah over repeated ceasefire violations. Shortly after midnight, four IDF soldiers were killed by a suspected aerial strike on a tank in southern Lebanon, including Maj. Dor Ben Shimon, commander of the 52nd Armored Battalion. The names of three additional fallen soldiers have not yet been cleared for publication. Hours later, a reserve officer was seriously wounded and four warrant officers were lightly hurt in a Hezbollah explosive-drone strike.
In response, the IDF said it hit more than 80 Hezbollah command posts, launch positions and other terror infrastructure overnight and into the morning, killing dozens of militants operating from those sites. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee backed the Israeli strikes, writing on X that Israel “attacks when it is attacked” and that a ceasefire holds only when Hezbollah stops firing. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said France is still working to convene an international conference in support of the Lebanese army. Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said he had originally opposed the deal but approved it at President Pezeshkian’s request, warning that Iran would not yield to “excessive demands.” President Donald Trump said Washington expects a ceasefire “on all fronts,” including between Hezbollah and Israel, while a senior IDF officer said recognizing Iran’s right to enrich uranium on its soil and produce ballistic missiles would be a strategic mistake and “a historic surrender.”
