said US Vice President Jay D. Vance it was up to Iran if it wanted the truce to collapse, urging Tehran not to allow the ceasefire because of Israeli attacks on Lebanon, days before he leads talks with Tehran in Pakistan.
While Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said that a ceasefire in Lebanon was a key condition in Tehran’s 10-point plan, which forms the basis of a truce with the United States, Vance expressed his belief that there was a misunderstanding.
The US Vice President said: “I think the Iranians thought the ceasefire included Lebanon, but it doesn’t. We never made that promise.”.
The possibility of negotiations collapsing
Vance's remarks came as he left Hungary, which he had visited to support Prime Minister Viktor Orban's election campaign.
“If Iran wants to let these negotiations collapse because of Lebanon, which has nothing to do with them and which the United States has never said is part of the ceasefire, then ultimately that is their choice,” Vance told reporters in Hungary.
The day after Washington and Tehran reached a two-week truce, the Israeli occupation entity launched its most violent raids in Lebanon since Hezbollah became involved in the war in early March.
Israeli airstrikes on Wednesday killed 182 people and injured 890 others, according to a new, preliminary toll from the Lebanese Ministry of Health.
extremely serious consequences
Vance said Trump expects Iran to keep its promise to open the Strait of Hormuz to oil traffic.
He continued: “If they fail to honor their commitment in this deal, they will face very serious consequences.”.
Vance is scheduled to lead the US delegation to the negotiations in Pakistan next Saturday.
The delegation will include, in addition to Vance, US Special Envoy Steve Wittkopf and Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law, as explained by White House spokeswoman Caroline Leavitt at a press conference.
The White House had previously said that the talks in Islamabad could be direct.
