Iran says planned US meeting delayed as mediation efforts continue

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said Friday that the meeting with the American delegation, which had been scheduled for the day, was formally postponed. He said work is continuing to arrange a meeting “in the coming days,” and added that talks in Geneva depend on the start of implementing the provisions of the memorandum of understanding. Iranian officials stressed that they are not rushing after the memorandum was signed electronically.

The delay came against the backdrop of intensified Israeli strikes in Lebanon earlier in the day, which disrupted the U.S.-Iran negotiations that were supposed to enter their first stage in Switzerland. An Israeli official told Walla that Israel and Hezbollah had agreed to a ceasefire, saying, “If Hezbollah does not attack, Israel will not attack.” But shortly after that announcement, reports from Lebanon said Israeli Air Force strikes hit southern Lebanon.

Later, a senior White House source told Sky News Arabia that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had agreed “100%” to renew the ceasefire in Lebanon. At the same time, Reuters reported that the United States had relayed a message to Iran saying Israel would not further escalate its attacks in Lebanon, as the Trump administration tries to get the sensitive nuclear talks with Tehran back on track. According to CNN, the source said, “Hezbollah violated the ceasefire. Israel agreed to hold back, and that message was conveyed to the Iranians. Now it is up to Hezbollah to stop.”

President Donald Trump also posted a series of messages on Truth Social, arguing that the war had weakened Iran and claiming it no longer had an air force, navy, air defenses, radars, or “almost anything else.” He mocked Democrats for saying Iran was in a better position than four months ago and later responded to Supreme Leader remarks, saying Iran had come to the talks “out of desperation,” that it was “finished,” and that it would not receive “even ten cents” during the 60-day period.