Israel and Lebanon could announce a ceasefire on Saturday as a gesture of goodwill ahead of talks between the U.S. and Iran, according to a new report.
Citing Saudi outlet Al-Hadath, Israeli journalist Roi Kais noted that the report does not have confirmation from additional sources but their own.
Israeli Journalist Emanuel Fabian also said no strikes have been carried out in southern Beirut 24 hours since issuing an evacuation notice.
Tehran has repeatedly said an end to hostilities in Lebanon is a necessary condition for engaging in talks with Washington in Pakistan.
In fact, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said negotiations with the U.S. won't begin unless a ceasefire takes place and the U.S. releases "Iran's blocked assets."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday the country opened direct negotiations with Lebanon. A Lebanese official told AFP that the country wants a ceasefire before engaging in talks, while an Israeli one claimed they will be conducted while hostilities continue. However, CNN also reported that Trump and Netanyahu had a "tense" phone call on Thursday, making it unclear whether Israel will continue strikes. The first talks are set to take place next week.
In the meantime, Vice President JD Vance, who is set to lead the U.S. delegation in negotiations, has warned Iran against trying to "play us" before heading to Pakistan.
Speaking to press before boarding, Vance said: "As the president of the United States said, if the Iranians are willing to negotiate in good faith, we're certainly willing to extend the open hand. If they're going to try to play us, then they're going to find that the negotiating team is not that receptive."
"We're trying to have a positive negotiations. The president has given us some clear guidelines and we're going to see," Vance added.
Another report, this one by Iran International, claimed that top Iranian officials are engaged in a dispute over the composition of the delegation that will travel to Pakistan, as well as its mandate.
The outlet detailed that the commander-in-chief of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Ahmad Vahidi, is looking to reduce the authority of Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi ahead of the talks.
He has also pushed for the inclusion of a top IRGC official, Mohammad-Bagher Zolghadr, in the delegation. The move is opposed by current members who say he doesn't have experience in such negotiations, the outlet added. Vahidi and the IRGC Aerospace Force commander also emphasized that negotiators must not negotiate the country's missile program.
