Trump says deal with Tehran close, Lebanon ceasefire begins

Iran-US-Israel War Live Updates: A temporary ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon has come into force as diplomatic efforts to ease tensions in the wider regional conflict involving Iran gather pace. The truce, announced by US President Donald Trump, is expected to create space for negotiations aimed at securing a longer-term security arrangement between the two countries.Celebrations were reported in parts of Lebanon after the announcement of a 10-day ceasefire designed to facilitate discussions between Israeli and Lebanese officials on a permanent peace and security framework.

The ceasefire followed hours of intense violence. Israeli forces carried out heavy strikes in southern Lebanon shortly before the truce took effect on the night of Thursday, April 16. Lebanon’s National News Agency reported that the attacks killed three people in a village in the Sidon district and eight others in the Zahrani area, as per Al Jazeera.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry welcomed the ceasefire, Iranian state media reported, describing it as part of a broader understanding with Washington aimed at pausing the escalating regional conflict.

A Hezbollah official told Al Jazeera Arabic that the group would approach the truce with caution. The official said Hezbollah would observe the ceasefire with “caution and vigilance”.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump signalled progress in diplomatic efforts to end the confrontation involving Iran. Trump said that a deal to end the war with Tehran is “very close”, adding that negotiations could resume as early as this weekend in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad, as per Al Jazeera.

Speaking to reporters, Trump also indicated that it remains uncertain whether the current ceasefire arrangement would be extended. However, he struck an optimistic tone about ongoing talks and suggested that Iran appears more open to concessions, particularly on issues related to nuclear weapons, compared to a few months earlier.

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