US and Iranian officials begin face-to-face ceasefire talks in Islamabad, Pakistan

The United States and Iran began face-to-face negotiations on Saturday in Pakistan, days after a fragile, two-week ceasefire was announced. The war, which has killed thousands of people and shaken global markets, entered its seventh week. The White House confirmed the direct nature of the talks.

Iran’s state-run news agency said three-party talks had begun after Iranian preconditions, including a reduction in Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon, were met. U.S. and Iranian officials had also met separately with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The U.S. delegation is led by Vice President JD Vance, and the Iranian delegation by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf. They were discussing how to advance a ceasefire that the source describes as already threatened by deep disagreements and by Israel’s continued attacks against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon.

In Jerusalem, thousands of worshippers took part on Saturday in the annual “Holy Fire” ceremony at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, an Orthodox Christian ritual that dates back more than 1,200 years. The ceremony, held the day before Orthodox Easter, symbolizes the resurrection of Jesus. The Greek Orthodox Patriarch brings out candles reportedly lit by a miraculous, non-burning flame from the tomb, and the flame is then passed to thousands of worshippers.

Holy sites across Jerusalem’s Old City, including Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and the Western Wall, had remained closed for 40 days under Israeli security restrictions following the war on Iran. They reopened on Thursday as the two-week ceasefire between Iran, Israel, and the U.S. appeared to hold. Describing the change, Fr. Antonious Al-Orshalemy said, “Just two days ago there was absolutely no one in the Old City, it felt like an orphaned town.” He added, “But now we see wedding-like celebrations on every level. Everyone is happy, and everyone is joyful.” The reopening and return of worshippers to the city’s holy places reflects a hope for peace in Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6).

Lebanon was also at the center of the day’s reports. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said Saturday that he had postponed a planned trip to Washington “in light of the current internal circumstances.” Before that announcement, an adviser to Iran’s supreme leader on international affairs had warned against sidelining Hezbollah. In a social media post, the adviser wrote: “Mr. Nawaf Salam must know that ignoring the unparalleled role of the Resistance and the heroic Hezbollah will expose Lebanon to irreparable security risks.”

President Joseph Aoun said Friday that a first meeting would be held Tuesday at the U.S. State Department to discuss a ceasefire and to launch U.S.-mediated Lebanon-Israel negotiations. The plan followed a call between the two countries’ ambassadors in Washington, with the participation of the U.S. ambassador to Beirut.

Protests followed in Lebanon’s capital. Protesters burned portraits of Salam in downtown Beirut near the Grand Serail, calling him a “Zionist” as they carried Hezbollah flags. It was not immediately clear whether Salam would join the delegation on Tuesday or what his decision meant for the talks.

Source: Read the original report