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The possibility of talks between the United States and Iran to end the war appeared to be taking shape on Friday, as representatives from the two countries, sworn enemies, were sent to the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, but with no guarantee that direct negotiations would take place, two weeks after the first attempt failed.
Meanwhile, the ceasefire in Lebanon, the other main theater of hostilities, looked extremely precarious yesterday.
The war in the Middle East, which erupted with the United States and Israel's attack on Iran on February 28, has claimed the lives of thousands of people, the vast majority of them in the Islamic Republic and Lebanon, and has shaken the global economy.
In the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, it has been expected for days that the US-Iran talks that began two weeks ago and were suspended after fifteen hours would resume, while the ceasefire was unilaterally renewed until further notice by the US.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Islamabad last night for talks with senior Pakistani officials.
However, "no Iran-US meeting is planned ," Iranian diplomatic spokesman Esmail Baghaei stressed, via X, Iran's positions will simply be conveyed to the American side by Pakistani mediators.
US President Donald Trump's envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, are scheduled to travel to Pakistan today for talks "with representatives" of Iran, White House spokeswoman Caroline Levitt said earlier, adding that the meeting was requested by Tehran.
After Pakistan, Araghchi is expected to continue his tour, with other stops being Oman and Russia.
At the same time, navigation paralysis continues in the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) destined for international markets normally passes, as the sea route is still subject to a double blockade, Iranian and American.
Markets appeared to welcome the prospect of new negotiations between Washington and Tehran with cautious optimism. The price of US crude oil, WTI, fell to $94.40 per barrel (-1.51%), while that of Brent North Sea crude oil, the international price, continued to rise, albeit at a slower pace, closing at $105.33 (+0.25%).
Fragile ceasefire in Lebanon
On the war's other main front, Lebanon, the ceasefire, which was announced by US President Donald Trump on Thursday to be extended for three weeks after talks between Lebanese and Israeli representatives at the White House, is already being seriously tested.
"Airstrikes by the Israeli enemy in southern Lebanon resulted in the martyrdom of six civilians and the injury of two others," the Lebanese Ministry of Health said in a press release issued late last night.
The Israeli military confirmed that its troops had killed six Hezbollah fighters during a firefight, after reporting that the Shiite movement had shot down an Israeli drone.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Hezbollah of trying to "sabotage" the "process to reach a historic peace agreement between Israel and Lebanon."
The Shiite movement, which is accused of plunging Lebanon into war by resuming hostilities with Israel on March 2, called on the Lebanese state to refrain from "direct negotiations with Israel" and said extending the ceasefire "makes no sense" due to the Israeli military's continued "hostile actions."
"We will return to our home"
The Israeli military issued an evacuation order for residents of a southern Lebanese village on Friday, the first since the ceasefire was extended. The official Lebanese news agency ANI later reported the Israeli bombardment of Deir Ames.
Direct negotiations with Israel "means recognition of the enemy," Ahmad Shumari, 74, told AFP, who, despite his hesitation, decided to leave Saida, where he had taken refuge, and return to his village after the US announced that the ceasefire would be extended for three weeks.
"We will return to our home," he said, surrounded by bags and mattresses, expressing hope that "the ceasefire will become permanent."
At the same time, the United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon announced yesterday the death of another Indonesian peacekeeper, who had been injured on March 29 in the south.
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