US-Iran Talks Delayed After Israel Clobbers Lebanon

The latest round of U.S.-Iran nuclear talks in Switzerland has been thrown into limbo after Israel launched a fresh wave of deadly airstrikes across southern Lebanon, according to three people familiar with the negotiations.

The setback comes just days after Washington and Tehran signed an interim agreement Wednesday that called for the “immediate and permanent termination” of fighting, including in Lebanon. The deal also extended the U.S.-Iran ceasefire by 60 days and provided for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

“The Iranians have asked for guarantees that hostilities in Lebanon will end, as outlined in the signed agreement, and mediators are currently working to resolve the issue,” said a diplomat with knowledge of the matter.

Tensions escalated further Friday when Iran fired warning shots at vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, according to two people familiar with the situation.

Tehran also issued a radio message to ships warning that the vital waterway, which carried roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas before the conflict, “will remain closed” until Israel withdraws from Lebanon and other terms of the agreement are fulfilled.

Overnight Israeli strikes and attacks into Friday morning hit more than 10 villages in southern Lebanon, leaving 21 people dead and 39 wounded, according to Lebanon’s health ministry.

Lebanon has emerged as one of the biggest obstacles to the fragile agreement between Washington and Tehran. Iran, which backs the Shiite militant group Hezbollah, has insisted that Lebanon be included in any broader regional settlement.

Israeli operations around Beirut have repeatedly threatened to upend negotiations, with President Donald Trump publicly voicing frustration over Israel’s determination to continue its campaign.

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Iran has maintained a hard-line position throughout the talks.

“Iran has held firm in their stance of ‘no Lebanon, no deal’,” said a second person familiar with the negotiations, adding that Tehran believes it has leverage to win concessions from Washington over Israel’s military operations in Lebanon.

According to the first diplomat, the Iranians’ message was: “We held Hizbollah back, the US is unable to hold Israel back. Until they do we won’t come.”

Two Financial Times sources said negotiators are tentatively looking at Monday for the next round of talks, though everything depends on developments in Lebanon. A third source said it remains unclear how long the delay could last.

Iranian officials and state media have yet to publicly confirm the postponement. However, Al Mayadeen, a Lebanese television network closely aligned with Tehran, cited an unnamed Iranian official who said the latest Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon prompted Iran’s negotiating team to “postpone” its trip to Switzerland.

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Nournews, which is affiliated with Iran’s security apparatus, argued that whether the U.S. can “compel Israel to fulfil the obligations” matters more “than any diplomatic meeting” and “will determine the future of the agreement and the prospects for war or peace”.

The White House said technical talks had not yet been finalized and confirmed that Vice President JD Vance did not leave for Switzerland on Thursday night. Officials said the American delegation remains “prepared to depart at the first available opportunity.”

Under the interim agreement reached Wednesday, the United States and Iran agreed to extend the temporary ceasefire first established in April by another 60 days, reopen the Strait of Hormuz and establish a framework for negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program.

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