Iran says first post-truce talks with US focused on Lebanon, not nuclear program

Iran's nuclear program was not discussed during the first follow-up negotiations between the United States and Iran after the two countries reached a ceasefire agreement, Iranian media reported.

State broadcaster IRIB said Sunday that the opening round of four-party talks — attended by delegations from both countries along with mediators Pakistan and Qatar — included no negotiations on Iran's nuclear program.

The first substantive session lasted 80 minutes. IRIB reported that the talks "focused on giving top priority to the Lebanon issue and discussing ways to implement Article 13 of the Islamabad understanding." The Lebanon issue refers to Israel's continued attacks on Hezbollah, the armed group operating in Lebanon, even after the ceasefire agreement took effect. Iran has argued that Article 1 of the understanding — which calls for a halt to hostilities — cannot be considered fulfilled until Israel stops its strikes on Hezbollah, and that follow-up negotiations can only proceed once that condition is met. The United States has also urged Israel to refrain from attacking Hezbollah, but has been unable to rein in its ally on that front. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has gone so far as to say Israel will keep its forces in southern Lebanon unless Hezbollah disarms.

Having failed to restrain Israel, the United States shifted its pressure toward Iran on Sunday. President Donald Trump threatened to launch even more powerful airstrikes against Iran if it did not stop Hezbollah, prompting the Iranian delegation to file a formal protest with the American side. Some reports suggested the talks had collapsed, but the Iranian delegation had not yet left Switzerland.

IRIB said it remained unclear whether the four-party talks would resume or break off entirely. According to Iran's state-run Press TV, the Iranian delegation was weighing its options and had begun bilateral talks with the Qatari delegation after the four-party session concluded.