The talks between the US and Iran in Islamabad have hit a snag, and the ceasefire agreement has fallen into controversy

ME News update: On April 9 (UTC+8), Iran’s ambassador to Pakistan, Mughaddam, suddenly deleted a social media post announcing the delegation’s attendance at the meeting in Pakistan, throwing fresh uncertainty into the first round of US-Iran peace talks originally scheduled to be held in Islamabad. The White House confirmed on Thursday that U.S. Vice President JD Vance will lead a delegation to Pakistan on Saturday to attend the talks.

Amid the ceasefire agreement reached this Tuesday, the US and Iran have fundamental disagreements:

• Lebanon issue: Iran insists that the ceasefire covers Lebanon and demands that Israel stop attacking Hezbollah; Trump and Vance explicitly deny this, saying that Lebanon was never included in the ceasefire scope.
• Uranium enrichment issue: Iran argues that the agreement safeguards its right to uranium enrichment, while the US has clearly stated that it “will not accept” it.

On Wednesday, Iran’s parliament speaker Kalibaf issued a statement, citing three so-called violations—namely, that the Lebanon ceasefire was not being observed, that drones had entered Iranian airspace, and that Iran’s uranium enrichment rights were denied—and he said bluntly, “Under these circumstances, a bilateral ceasefire or negotiations are both pointless.”

The core contradictions are as follows: Israel refuses to halt its military operations against Hezbollah; the US refuses Iran’s uranium enrichment; and negotiations have not yet even started, with cracks already appearing in the foundation. The subsequent direction will depend on whether the Iranian delegation ultimately proceeds.

(Source: BlockBeats)