Iran announced on Saturday that it had closed the Strait of Hormuz and signalled that upcoming talks with the United States in Switzerland were unlikely to yield immediate progress, as continued Israeli attacks in Lebanon threatened to derail diplomatic efforts in the region.

The development came amid renewed violence in southern Lebanon, where at least 16 people, including two children, were killed despite reports of a ceasefire agreement. The escalation has cast uncertainty over both the fragile truce efforts between Israel and Hezbollah and negotiations aimed at reviving progress on Iran’s nuclear programme.

Iran Signals Tougher Position Before Talks

Pakistan, which has played a mediating role, said technical-level talks between Iran and the United States would begin on Sunday in Brgenstock, Switzerland, with Qatari mediators also expected to participate.

In Washington, US Vice President JD Vance said senior American negotiators Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff were already in Switzerland and working on technical aspects of the expected discussions.

Earlier in the day, Iran’s joint military command announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, accusing the United States of acting in bad faith and blaming Israel’s continued attacks in Lebanon for the decision.

In a statement broadcast on state television, the military command said the US had committed “a clear breach of its commitments” by failing to stop the conflict and warned that “if the aggression continues, subsequent steps have been planned.”

Shortly afterwards, Iran’s state broadcaster reported that the country’s negotiating team was departing for Switzerland after a delay from its original Friday schedule.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Bagahei said Tehran did not expect major progress unless it saw evidence that Washington was implementing its commitments under the interim agreement.

“This trip is therefore about demanding that the other side fulfil its obligations,” he said.

Bagahei added that negotiations on a final agreement would only proceed after key commitments had been honoured, warning that failure to do so would endanger the entire framework.

“Then the memorandum of understanding as a whole will be jeopardised,” he said.

Vance told Fox News that he expected to travel to Switzerland “sometime the next couple of days”, adding that “it’s always a delicate coordination dance”.

Global markets remained on edge, even as ships resumed transiting the Strait of Hormuz following the interim US-Iran agreement reached earlier this week. However, several aspects of the deal remain unresolved.

Israeli Strikes Continue Despite Ceasefire Reports

Violence continued in southern Lebanon on Saturday, with Israeli strikes killing at least 16 people only hours after reports emerged of a ceasefire agreement.

Lebanon’s National News Agency said seven people remained trapped under rubble after attacks targeted Nabatiyeh and surrounding villages. The country’s health ministry later said the death toll from the latest conflict between Israel and Hezbollah had surpassed 4,000.

Diplomatic efforts intensified after heavy exchanges on Friday left at least 47 people dead in Lebanon and four Israeli soldiers killed.

According to an Israeli military official speaking anonymously, Hezbollah launched more than 50 projectiles at Israeli forces overnight. The Israeli army said it had struck dozens of Hezbollah positions and command centres across southern Lebanon.

On Friday, Israel’s ambassador to Washington, Yechiel Leiter, said Israel remained committed to a ceasefire if Hezbollah halted hostilities and respected the agreement.

Hezbollah, however, accused Israel of violating the ceasefire several times on Friday night while maintaining that it would continue to honour the arrangement.

In a statement, the group’s military wing said it would abide by the ceasefire but would respond to attacks carried out by Israeli forces.

Conflict Puts Interim Agreement Under Pressure

The fighting in Lebanon has complicated the interim understanding reached between Washington and Tehran.

Hezbollah entered the conflict two days after the United States and Israel carried out strikes on Iran on February 28. Since then, the group has launched rockets and drones into northern Israel, while Israeli forces have seized large areas of southern Lebanon.

During the conflict, Iran shut the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting one of the world’s most important routes for oil and natural gas shipments. The interim agreement subsequently led to its reopening and laid the groundwork for renewed talks on Tehran’s nuclear programme.

Neither Israel nor Hezbollah is a party to the agreement, which calls for military restraint in Lebanon and respect for the country’s sovereignty.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israeli troops would remain in southern Lebanon until all threats to Israel had been eliminated.

Hezbollah has insisted that it will not cease attacks unless Israel agrees to withdraw from Lebanese territory, a demand that Iran has also described as a condition for the deal.

A new round of US-backed negotiations involving the Lebanese government and Israel is expected to take place in Washington next week.

Civilian Casualties Mount in Southern Lebanon

Among the victims of Saturday’s strikes were four members of the same family in Barish, including two parents and their children.

In Arab Salim, rescue workers recovered a body from a destroyed house, while attacks in Doueir and Kfar Rumman killed a motorcyclist and a Lebanese soldier.

Additional strikes in Qannarit, Sohmor and Shehour left nine more people dead.

Smoke continued to rise over southern Lebanon as Israeli warplanes flew low over the coastal city of Tyre. Residents said they were relieved that the city itself had escaped major attacks in recent days, though the presence of military aircraft served as a reminder that the conflict remained unresolved.

“Our entire lives would change if there’s a ceasefire,” Tyre resident Hussein Khoshman told AP.

Netanyahu’s office did not immediately comment on the latest ceasefire efforts. On Friday, the Israeli Prime Minister said the army had, under his orders, “struck powerfully” against 150 Hezbollah targets and killed dozens of militants.

Military spokesman Brig Gen Effie Defrin said Israeli forces were operating in a “forward defence zone” and would continue doing so.

As the day ended, Iran hardened its position on negotiations with the United States, while the continuing violence in Lebanon cast fresh doubt over both the ceasefire initiative and the talks due to begin in Switzerland.

Long or Short, get news the way you like. No ads. No redirections. Download Newspin and Stay Alert, The CSR Journal Mobile app, for fast, crisp, clean updates!

App Store –  https://apps.apple.com/in/app/newspin/id6746449540 

Google Play Store – https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.inventifweb.newspin&pcampaignid=web_share