Axios: 'Negotiations between Israel and Lebanon start next week in the US', no 'cease-fire' first

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni 'welcomes and strongly supports the news of the start of direct negotiations between Israel and Lebanon, announced today by Prime Minister Netanyahu'. This was reported in a note from Palazzo Chigi. "The Italia government," it is stressed, "which has already condemned Hezbollah's irresponsible decision to drag Lebanon into this conflict, has long actively supported the start of direct negotiations between the two nations, in the conviction that they are the only way to bring a lasting end to the hostilities between Lebanon and Israel.

'If the US wanted to ruin its economy by letting Netanyahu destroy diplomacy, it would ultimately be their choice. We think it would be a stupid decision, but we are prepared for this eventuality,' Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said on X. In the post, Araghchi also recalls that 'the criminal trial' involving the Israeli premier for alleged corruption at home 'resumes on Sunday', once a ceasefire with Iran is announced, and argues that 'a region-wide ceasefire, including Lebanon, would accelerate his imprisonment'.

Iranian leaders 'speak very differently in a meeting than when they talk to the press. They are much more reasonable,' US President Donald Trump said in an interview granted to the Nbc television network. 'They are accepting everything they have to accept. Remember, they have been conquered, they no longer have an army: if they don't reach an agreement, it will be very painful,' he concluded.

Donald Trump is 'very optimistic' that a peace deal with Iran is within reach. The president said this in an interview with Nbc, pointing out that Iranian leaders speak differently when they are in meetings than when they speak to the press. "They are much more reasonable. They agreed on all the things they had to agree on. Remember, they have been conquered,' he pointed out.

The first non-Iranian oil tanker crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, following the announcement of the fragile ceasefire between Iran and the US. This is according to MarineTraffic data. The Msg, a Gabonian-flagged tanker, crossed the strait today with about 7,000 tonnes of Emirati fuel oil on board and is bound for Aegis Pipavav in India, according to the maritime monitoring service. Only two other oil tankers, both flying the Iranian flag, and six bulk carriers have crossed the strait since yesterday, according to Kpler, owner of MarineTraffic.

"Italia is ready to do its part for the stability of Lebanon. Italian soldiers are present in the country not only in joint missions, but also in bilateral missions to help the Lebanese armed forces. We are working to organise my trip to Beirut in the coming days to speak with President" Aoun "and send a clear message from Italia for the stability of this important country". This was said by Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani at a press conference after the informal Med9 ministerial meeting in Split.

Il ministro degli Esteri italiano Antonio Tajani, il ministro croato degli Affari esteri ed europei Gordan Grlic Radman e altri ministri degli Esteri partecipano a una riunione ministeriale informale del MED9 a Spalato, in Croazia, il 9 aprile 2026. REUTERS/Antonio Bronic

There will be no ceasefire with Hezbollah before the talks with Lebanon. This was stated by an Israeli official to the Times of Israel. The talks will begin "in the coming days", the official confirmed, without giving further details.

Further reading

Netanyahu's obsessions and interests are the real obstacles to agreement in the Middle East

09 April 2026

Direct negotiations between Israel and Lebanon will begin next week and the first meeting will be held at the State Department in Washington. Axios reports this, citing an Israeli source, according to which the US will be led by US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa. Israel, on the other hand, will be represented by its ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter, while Lebanon by its ambassador to Washington Nada Hamadeh-Moawad.

The two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran could be extended if the White House notices sufficient progress. This was reported by CNN, citing Trump administration sources. According to the sources, the current two-week ceasefire can serve as a springboard for negotiations, providing additional time to reach a more comprehensive agreement with Tehran.

"We talked about Lebanon, an independent country with a new government that is also in the process of disarming Hezbollah and which today is under a storm of devastating bombardments". This was said by the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, speaking in Prague after talks with Czech President Petr Pavel.

"In light of Lebanon's repeated calls for direct negotiations with Israel, yesterday during the Council of Ministers meeting I gave the directive to start direct negotiations with Lebanon as soon as possible. The negotiations will focus on disarming Hezbollah and establishing peaceful relations between Israel and Lebanon. Israel appreciates today's call by the Lebanese Prime Minister on the disarmament of Beirut'. This was announced by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a note.

Further reading

WHO, Lebanese hospitals at risk of running out of medical supplies

08 April 2026

In recent years, corporate finance has ceased to be an 'in-house' discipline. Geopolitical crises - from the war in Ukraine to tensions on global trade routes - have made one point clear: international risk is no longer a side variable, but a structural factor in financial decisions.

The first effect is on uncertainty, which changes in nature. It is no longer just a question of price volatility, but of real disruptions: disruptions in supply chains, sanctions, market fragmentation. This was clearly seen in the European energy sector, where the gas price shock had a direct impact on expected cash flows and, consequently, on companies' cost of capital. In this context, liquidity returns to the centre: not as an inefficiency, but as a strategic option to react to extreme scenarios.

Donald Trump has asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reduce the intensity of Israeli attacks in Lebanon in order to help ensure successful negotiations with Iran. Nbc reports this, citing a Trump administration official. Israel agreed to "be a cooperative partner", he highlighted.

In an open letter to US House Democrats, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries criticised the ceasefire with Iran. "Two weeks is insufficient and therefore we have requested that the House resume work immediately to vote on our resolution to permanently end the war in the Middle East," the Dem wrote. The House is in recess until 14 April. It will be difficult for the opposition resolution to receive Republican support. Congresswoman Nancy Mace, who had seemed supportive of the Dems' proposal last month, appears to have fallen back into her party's ranks. Don Bacon, another Grand old party representative who earlier this year had supported a war powers measure aimed at limiting Donald Trump's policy towards Venezuela, said he would "listen" to the Dems, adding later that he wanted to "defeat Iran". Meanwhile, Senate Dem minority leader Chuck Schumer announced that the upper chamber would also vote on a resolution on war powers related to Iran after the recess.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, during a telephone conversation with his Iranian homologist Abbas Araghchi, expressed hope for the success of the negotiation process between Iran and the US. This was reported by the Russian Foreign Ministry, as reported by Interfax. "Lavrov expressed hope for the successful outcome of the negotiation process and confirmed Russia's readiness tocontribute to the search for solutions that will make it possible to overcome the consequences of the unprovoked American-Israeli aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran and ensure lasting peace and stable security in the region," the statement read. The Russian side, it says, "welcomed the announcement of the reaching of agreements on a two-week cessation of hostilities between the United States and Iran and Israel's adherence to these agreements".

"We strongly condemn this Israeli attack on Lebanon, which resulted in numerous innocent civilian casualties and extensive destruction of civilian infrastructure. It draws attention to the fact that it was carried out practically immediately after the entry into force of the agreement between the United States and Iran on a two-week truce, when a path towards a diplomatic solution to the acute politico-military crisis in the region had opened up. Such aggressive actions endanger the negotiation process that has just begun and significantly increase the risks of a resumption of a large-scale armed confrontation in the Middle East,' the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a press release.

"On 8 April, Israel carried out massive missile and air strikes on the territory of Lebanon, including residential neighbourhoods in Beirut. According to the Lebanese authorities, the number of casualties as a result of the bombing of the capital and other population centres - unprecedented in scale - has already exceeded 250 people, while over 1,100 residents were injured. In this regard, national mourning has been declared in the country on 9 April,' the minister specified, expressing condolences 'to the families and relatives of the victims and wishing a speedy recovery to the injured'.

The association agreement between the European Union and Israel could be 're-discussed' in the light of the 'gravity of what happened yesterday (in Lebanon, ed.) and given the situation in the West Bank', French Foreign Ministry spokesman Pascal Confavreux said today, describing Israel's bombing of Lebanon as 'disproportionate'.

Had it not been for the shock caused by the Iran war, "we would have revised our global growth forecasts upwards. But now, even our most optimistic scenario calls for a downward revision of growth forecasts'. This was stated by International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva in her speech at the opening event of the IMF's Spring Meetings 2026. "The resilient global economy is again being tested by the war in the Middle East, now in a lull," she explained, and "even in the best-case scenario, there will be no clear-cut return to the previous status quo. What we do know is that growth will be slower, even if the new peace turns out to be lasting'.

The impact of the Iran war on the world economy "depends on whether the ceasefire holds, and leads to a lasting peace, and the extent of the damage the war will leave behind," he explained. "Given the uncertainties, our World Economic Outlook, which will be released next week, will include a range of scenarios, ranging from a relatively rapid normalisation, to an intermediate scenario, to one in which oil and gas prices remain much higher for much longer and second-round effects take hold."

The war in the Middle East has generated "food insecurity for another 45 million people or more, bringing the total number of people suffering from hunger to over 360 million". This was stated by International Monetary Fund Director Kristalina Georgieva in her speech at the opening event of the IMF Spring Meetings 2026.

"Supply disruptions," he explained, "have had, and will continue to have for some time to come, knock-on effects such as: oil refinery closures; shortages of refined products, including diesel and aviation fuel, disrupting transport, trade and tourism in a world more interconnected than ever; food insecurity for another 45 million people or more due to transport disruptions - bringing the total number of people suffering from hunger to more than 360 million - with the risk that the problem will worsen over time due to high fertiliser prices."

"The brutality with which Israel is conducting the war there could derail the entire peace process. And that must not happen". This was stated by German Chancellor Alexander Merz. "That is why yesterday, together with other heads of state and government, I called on the Israeli government to stop the intensified attacks," he added.

Pakistan says Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif and Armed Forces Chief Asim Munir have "appreciated the restraint shown by all sides" ahead of the Iran-US talks scheduled to take place in Islamabad over the weekend. "The two leaders expressed satisfaction with the de-escalation achieved so far and emphasised the need for all sides to maintain peace and ceasefire," says the office of Pakistani PM Sharif.

"Hezbollah longs for a ceasefire'". This is what Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz claimed, stating that 'more than 200 terrorists have been eliminated in Operation Eternal Darkness'. Katz added that yesterday's death toll 'brings the number of those eliminated in this campaign to around 1,400: Hezbollah is stunned by the scale of the blow' it has suffered. Regarding the Iranian situation, the Defence Minister said that the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) are ready to act with force if Iran launches attacks against Israel.

While the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon threatens the ceasefire between the US and Iran, in Donald Trump's administration 'there is no senior official really in charge of the Lebanese dossier'. Axios correspondent Barak Ravid reports this on X.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar declared, after a phone call with his Cypriot counterpart, that Lebanon should not be treated as a client state of the Iranian regime. "Lebanon must be freed from the grip of the Iranian regime, it must not be squeezed any further!" wrote Sa'ar on X.

The head of Israeli diplomacy noted that Lebanon has not followed up on its decision to expel the Iranian ambassador in Beirut, Mohammad Reza Shibani, who was declared persona non grata. The deadline for his departure expired at the end of March, but Shibani remains in the city.

Wti oil is back above $100 per barrel, with the Strait of Hormuz remaining effectively blocked, despite the truce between the US and Iran. Right now, it is up 5.98% at the Nymex to $100.06 per barrel.

"The next few hours will be crucial". This was stated by Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi, explaining that the Pasdaran were ready to intervene in response to the Israeli attacks in Lebanon, butPakistan, which brokered the agreement with the United States, intervened to stop the retaliation. "The US must stop the Israeli attacks on Lebanon," he said. "The agreement must include Lebanon, we were on the verge of responding to the attacks, but Pakistan intervened. The next few hours will be crucial," Takht-Ravanchi added.

Iran reiterated today that Lebanon is part of the ceasefire agreement reached with the United States, thus makingBeirut a decisive variable for the resilience of the understanding and the future of the talks that are expected to begin this weekend in Pakistan.

The Speaker of the Iranian parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who may lead the Iranian delegation to Pakistan, reiterated today that 'Lebanon and the entire Axis of Resistance are an inseparable part of the ceasefire', as 'publicly and clearly stated' by the Pakistani premier Shehbaz Sharif, for whom 'there is no room for denials and backtracking'.

"This ceasefire is a good first step," said the US Vice President.

Unifil, deployed in southern Lebanon, is a 'mission that has always been somewhat uncomfortable' and today 'there is no light at the end of the tunnel'. This is spoken by Andrea Tenenti, who has been since 2006 - since the 33-day war between Israel and the Lebanese Hezbollah - and until last summer spokesperson for the Unifil mission. He recalls the 30 years in total at the UN behind him, convinced that the "international law has not been well for some time" and that "now" it is "very bad". A note from the Israeli embassy in Rome focusing on the situation in south Lebanon denounces "the failure of the mission to apply UN Security Council Resolution 1701" that ended hostilities in 2006 and states that the Unifil forces (more than 40 countries, including Italia) "are not the object of deliberate attacks". Tenenti goes back at least to 2023. On 7 October of that year, the Hamas massacre in Israel. And the start of Israeli military operations against Hamas and other groups in the raid-ravaged Gaza Strip. The involvement of the Lebanese Hezbollah in the conflict, with historic support from Iran. "Since 2023, since the beginning of the conflict, deliberately they have attacked us," says Tenenti. "They also asked us to leave the south of the country, both the Israeli armed forces and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu," he remarks, "but the Mission remained because it was wanted by the international community. And "I think the Mission is paying the price of having somehow held its head high by staying in southern Lebanon".

An Italia that is firmly anchored to the Atlantic Alliance as it has been 'for some 80 years now' but 'not subordinate' to the US, that is capable of saying no to Washington 'as Sigonella demonstrates' and that builds a 'stronger' Europe with its own strategic and defence autonomy.

In her briefing to the Houses of Parliament, Giorgia Meloni thus describes her foreign policy strategy, claiming the ability to 'speak clearly' to Israel and Donald Trump when she disagreed with their choices, and rejecting the 'predictable refrain about her subalternity to US President Trump or the even more predictable one entitled 'Meloni chooses between Trump and Europe'".

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif disclosed that he had a "cordial and constructive phone call" with French President Emmanuel Macron. "Pakistan will continue to work together with its partners and friends, including France, to ensure that this opportunity leads to lasting peace," he wrote in a post on X where he also explained that the parties expressed "deep concern over the ongoing aggression in Lebanon" emphasising "the urgent need to end the violence and loss of innocent lives so that peace can be restored throughout the region."

The ceasefire with Iran is a 'blow' to American credibility and perhaps a 'Suez moment' for the United States, the instant when a power marks the beginning of its international decline. The New York Times reports this, pointing out that the two-week truce leaves Iran in charge of the Strait of Hormuz and with the issues of nuclear power and the ballistic missile programme unresolved. For the rest of the world, the war 'is starting to look like a military defeat, more serious than Iraq and Afghanistan', says Bruno Macaes, former minister of Portugal. With the weak ceasefire, many are wondering - explains the New York Times - whether this is a Suez moment for the US. The Suez crisis dates back to October 1956, when the UK, France and Israel attacked Egypt to force the opening of the Red Sea Canal. The US did not participate but Dwight Eisenhower, just days before the elections, ordered them to stop. British Prime Minister Anthony Eden resigned. The episode became the epitome of how the United Kingdom, exhausted by the Second World War, ceded its role as a global power to the United States.

Under the ceasefire agreement, Iran will allow no more than 15 ships per day to transit through the Strait of Hormuz. This was reported by a senior Iranian source to the Russian Tass agency.

'The ceasefire between the US and Iran remains fragile, but the alternative is bleak. The rapid reopening of the Strait of Hormuz must be a priority,' European Foreign Policy High Representative Kaja Kallas said on X, after meeting in Abu Dhabi with Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, 'to discuss the war with Iran and its regional impact, including on Lebanon and Iraq'.

"We also talked about our bilateral cooperation and how to take forward the partnership between the EU and the UAE, including on security and defence," Kallas specified.

In a video message, the head of the US Armed Forces Central Command, US Navy Admiral Brad Cooper, said that Iran 'suffered a momentous military defeat'.

The US and Israel have 'clearly accomplished' their mission to degrade Iran's military capabilities, Admiral Cooper continued: 'We set out to dismantle the Iranian regime's ability to project its power beyond its borders, and we have clearly accomplished that task. Iran has suffered a generational military defeat. The US and Israel have systematically destroyed Iran's ability to conduct large-scale military operations for years to come'. According to Cooper, 'Iran's conventional military capability, built over 40 years at a cost of billions of dollars, has been eliminated'. And again, said the admiral, 'after successfully conducting over 13,000 strikes against Iranian military targets and conducting thousands upon thousands of combat flights, US forces have suspended offensive operations in accordance with the ongoing ceasefire'. The head of Centcom finally clarifies: 'However, we remain present, we remain vigilant, and we remain ready if called upon,' and the US military will also continue 'to stand with our regional partners in maintaining the world's most sophisticated and largest active air defence umbrella.

The European Union sees no 'immediate security of supply risks' for gas, but 'long-term consequences' are to be expected. This is what emerged from the meeting of the Gas Coordination Group held in Brussels this morning. At the meeting, the need to start preparing stocks for winter was reportedly reiterated. EU infrastructures are ready to fill reserves to at least 80 per cent by 1 November. Governments were urged once again to avoid the 'late summer rush' and instead start work on the early release of gas into the reserves.

"We are here to pronounce on what the law says. And international law provides for freedom of navigation. It means, in essence, no payment or tolls of any kind. Again, the line is clear: the Strait of Hormuz, like any other shipping lane, is a public good for all mankind. It means that freedom of navigation must be free and guaranteed. We can overturn it in any way, but the law is clear'. This was stated by European Commission Foreign Affairs spokesman Anouar El Anouni at the daily press briefing, responding to a question on Iran's proposal to charge a toll for the transit of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.

- Pressure from the US on its European partners for a military commitment in the Strait of Hormuz is increasing. According to reports in the German weekly 'Der Spiegel', NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has informed European capitals that US President Donald Trump expects concrete commitments to send warships or other military capabilities from Europe in the coming days. Political commitments, such as those made in the days following the start of the war, would no longer be sufficient. Trump's demand amounts to an ultimatum, said several European diplomats who were briefed after the Atlantic Alliance Secretary General's meeting with Trump. Berlin had also signalled in recent days its readiness in principle for a joint mission in the strait. From the federal government's point of view, however, certain criteria must be fulfilled, such as a solid UN mandate and a lasting ceasefire or even a negotiated truce.

In the last few days, following the suspension by the Iranian government of the possibility for merchant ships (at least for those sailing to ports in western states) to cross the Strait of Hormuz, there have been persistent reports about the hypotheses put forward by the same government to make this crossing subject to the payment of some kind of toll. It is worth verifying what the rules of international maritime law in force establish in this regard.

Only four ships, and with dry cargo (so no oil or gas tankers), passed through the Strait of Hormuz yesterday, the first day of the fragile two-week truce between the US and Iran, writes the New York Times, citing S&P Global Market Intelligence. In the previous five days, thus with the war in progress, an average of nine per day had passed. Maritime traffic analysts also point out that there are no signs of ships waiting for weeks in the area, or of a queue forming, to cross the Strait. And it is precisely the fragility of the truce that is the reason for this further stalemate.

Iran's nuclear chief said that the opponents' calls to limit the country's uranium enrichment programme will not succeed. The head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation Mohammad Eslami said such appeals are "illusions" and cannot stop Iran's nuclear activities. "No law or individual can stop us," Mohammad Eslami said, adding that the past actions of the adversaries, including the ongoing war, have proved a failure. Iran International reports

At least 17 people were killed and several others wounded in Israeli air raids on southern Lebanon. This was written by the Lebanese news agency NNA. An Israeli attack on the town of Zrariyeh in South Lebanon killed more than 10 people, including women and children, after hitting a residential building. Another Israeli air raid in Abbassiyeh killed at least seven people and injured others, with figures still preliminary. The Ministry of Health said that the death toll of Israeli attacks on Lebanon since 2 March had risen to 1,739.

EU High Representative for Foreign Policy Kaja Kallas said today that Hezbollah had dragged Lebanon into the war, but that Israel's right to defend itself did not justify such destruction.

In a post on X, Kallas wrote that "Hezbollah dragged Lebanon into the war, but Israel's right to defend itself does not justify inflicting such massive destruction". He added that "last night's Israeli raids killed hundreds of people, making it difficult to argue that such heavy-handed actions are part of self-defence."

Israel will continue to strike Hezbollah 'wherever necessary'. The warning comes from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "We are continuing to strike Hezbollah with force, precision, determination," he wrote in a message posted on his X account. "Our message is clear: whoever acts against Israeli civilians - we will strike them. We will continue to strike Hezbollah wherever necessary until security is fully restored for the residents of northern Israel."

Further reading

WHO, Lebanese hospitals at risk of running out of medical supplies

08 April 2026

"It is in the priority interest of Italia, and of its European and Western partners, that freedom of navigation be fully restored to the conditions prior to 28 February, so that the tense situation in the markets for energy, critical raw materials, fertilisers and other products essential to our economy can be normalised." This was said by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in her 'briefing on government action' in the Chamber of Deputies. "On this point," she added, "we are already at work with the coalition for the Strait of Hormuz promoted by the United Kingdom, in which more than 30 countries participate, to try to build security conditions that allow the full restoration of freedom of navigation and supply. A contribution that, we believe, is important in this negotiating phase"

"No resignation, no reshuffle". "There is no need for new programmatic lines, because ours have always been written in the government programme" and "we will govern for five years as we have pledged to do". Speaking at the Chamber of Deputies for a briefing on the programme for the last year of the legislature, just over two weeks after the referendum debacle of 22 and 23 March, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni closed the door on the possibility of a government crisis.

Among the topics discussed were foreign policy, measures to support the economy, and the relaunch of the executive. With regard to the crisis in the Middle East, Meloni made it clear that "if there is a new recrudescence" of the conflict in Iran "we will have to seriously consider the issue of a European response not dissimilar in approach and instruments from the one put in place for the pandemic. In that case it should not and will not be a taboo to reason about the possible temporary suspension of the Stability and Growth Pact: not a derogation for a single member state but a generalised measure'. In the last two days Meloni has marked her distance from Donald Trump's threats against Iran, and Israel's choice to continue attacks in Lebanon, also denouncing 'irresponsible actions' such as those against an Italia Unifil convoy.

Iran will allow ships to transit through the Strait of Hormuz in accordance with 'international norms and international law' once the US ends its 'aggression' in the Middle East and Israel stops attacking Lebanon. This is what Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh said, speaking to the BBC. The deputy minister said that Iran closed the Strait after Israel, a US ally, committed a 'serious intentional violation of the ceasefire'.

In the past few days Donald Trump had announced via social media his intention to return Iran to the Stone Age or even eliminate it as a civilisation. Why did he back down at the last minute, announcing a treaty when the news had already put on late-night specials? Who won? Is the war over or will it resume in a fortnight?

It is impossible to respond in a historical sense to the narrow actuality, especially if the parties have not even revealed the ten points on which negotiations continue. On the other hand, it is already possible to identify the issues to be measured against, first and foremost the achievement of the objectives of the conflict. A difficult task, however, not only because the US and Israel have different agendas - largely covered up - but also because there is no guarantee that the truce is not just the interval between two halves of an endless game.

Telephone conversation between the head of Iranian diplomacy, Abbas Araghchi, and the Saudi Foreign Minister, Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah Al Saud. This was reported by the official Saudi news agency Spa. This is the first contact between the two since the US and Israel announced on 28 February the start of military operations against Iran, which has not failed to 'respond' by targeting targets in the Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, the Islamic Republic's eternal rival in the region. According to the Gulf monarchy's media, the talks took place on Iranian initiative, just over 24 hours after the announcement of the two-week truce between the US and Iran.

Now Donald Trump will sell us two weeks of truce as a peace that he had always envisaged, even before the war began. However, there are reasons for cautious optimism. The Iranian demands are largely unacceptable; the 15 points of the Trump plan were too. In Islamabad, the task of the negotiators will be to create the conditions to go beyond the two-week truce and get into the issues that matter.

However, it must be clear to those who think of lasting peace that only a ceasefire can be achieved. The month of bombings has hollowed out a hostility that is not easy to bridge: between the US and Iran, between the US and the Gulf Arabs, between the Gulf Arabs and Iran.

The Israel Defence Forces claimed the killing in yesterday's raids in Beirut of Ali Yusuf Harshi, personal secretary to Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem. "A close collaborator and personal adviser, Harshi played a key role in the management and security of Qassem's office," the IDF announced in a post on X, in which they also reported hitting two major crossings used by Hezbollah to move weapons south of the Litani River, along with some 10 weapons depots, launchers and command centres in southern Lebanon.

China believes that the sovereignty and security of Lebanon must not be violated and that the lives and property of civilians must be protected. This was stated by Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning, commenting at a daily press conference in Beijing on yesterday's Israeli raids, which left at least 254 people dead and 1,165 injured, mostly civilians.

Mao emphasised that 'Lebanon's sovereignty and security should not be violated' and that 'the safety of civilians' lives and property must be guaranteed'.

Air France announced the extension of the suspension of flights to the Middle East until 3 May. This decision was taken ahead of the ceasefire between the US and Iran. "Due to the security situation in these destinations and the continued closure of airspace to commercial flights, the airline is forced to extend the suspension of flights to/from Tel Aviv, Beirut, Dubai and Riyad until 3 May 2026 inclusive (i.e. until 4 May 2026 for flights departing from Dubai)," Air France specified.

More than 24 hours after the announced truce between the US and Iran, the underlying fear is that there is a strong possibility that war will resume. According to the Wall Street Journal, there is concern among close allies of Donald Trump and among several people in the US president's entourage that what is in fact a fragile truce with Iran, which - it is pointed out - remains capable of blocking vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and attacking US forces in the region, has been overstated. According to various sources heard by the newspaper, which headlines what it calls a 'premature victory lap', the president has been warned of the risks and capabilities still held by the Islamic Republic after weeks of US and Israeli military operations. And among the concerns is that in the absence of significant concessions from the US, which the tycoon is unlikely to make, Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Thus, is the reasoning, a stalemate could lead to a resumption of fighting. According to an American official quoted by the newspaper, more than half of the systems available to Iran for launching missiles have been destroyed, but a significant number remain 'buried', 'safe' deep in Iranian soil, and the Revolutionary Guardians still have dozens of small naval units capable of threatening shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, even though the raids have destroyed more than 90% of the Iranian Navy's assets. Official statements aside, military officials and experts say that Iran's military and nuclear capabilities have indeed been compromised, but Tehran still has significant capabilities. It is also uncertain how Iran might 'react' to the military operations that Israel continues to carry out in Lebanon. Thus, says Newt Gingrich, former speaker of the House close to Trump, 'my main concern at the moment is to see, over the next four, six weeks, whether we've deluded ourselves because we've lacked the courage or whether we've come to a real agreement' towards 'real change'. And then there is uranium, which may be the main issue.

The French foreign minister has condemned Israeli attacks on Lebanon, calling them "unacceptable" and warning that they could undermine the fragile ceasefire between the US and Iran. "These attacks are all the more unacceptable as they undermine the temporary ceasefire reached yesterday between the US and Iran," Jean-Noel Barrot told France Inter radio, a day after Lebanon reported that Israeli attacks killed at least 182 people and wounded 890. (

The Revolutionary Guardians Navy has announced that ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz will have to use two alternative routes closer to the Iranian coast, due to the possible presence of mines on the usual route further offshore. "In order to protect against possible mine collisions, in coordination with the Revolutionary Guardians Navy, until further notice, (ships) will have to follow alternative routes for transit through the Strait of Hormuz," Iranian media reported, citing a military statement accompanied by a nautical chart showing the routes south and north of Larak Island. To enter the Persian Gulf from the Arabian Sea, ships must pass between the Iranian coast and Larak, nicknamed 'the tollgate of Tehran' by the maritime magazine Lloyd's List. The route out of the Gulf passes south of this island, avoiding the usual route closer to the Omani coast. Recent crossings appear to have used this alternative route through Iranian territorial waters.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky congratulated the United States on the result reached on the ceasefire in Iran, saying that this will make it "easier to deal with this energy crisis". In an exclusive interview granted to Rai Radio correspondent Marco Barbonaglia, Zelensky emphasised, however, that "support for Ukraine, with arms supplies, must continue". The Ukrainian president added that the United States was "more focused on the Middle East" and that this is why "the three-way negotiations with Russia have been postponed". "But we will restart," he assured.

US Congressmen will try again next week to pass a resolution to force US President Donald Trump to obtain congressional approval for any further attacks. This was stated by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, according to the Reuters news agency.

"Congress must reassert its authority, especially at this dangerous time," Schumer said at a press conference in his New York office.

Further reading

USA, Republicans resigned to midterm elections. Maga split: 'Truce with Iran is a failure'

09 April 2026

Tehran's ambassador to Pakistan, Reza Amiri Moghadam, said that an Iranian delegation would reach the Pakistani capital Islamabad tonight for talks with the US scheduled for the weekend.

The two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran is 'good news' because it avoids an escalation that could have had devastating effects not only for the Islamic Republic, but also for Washington's allies in the Gulf and the global energy market. Nevertheless, the underlying issues remain. This was stated in an interview published today by Repubblica by the American General David Petraeus, former director of the CIA and former head of the US Central Command.

"The ceasefire is to be welcomed, as it temporarily averts a further escalation of the war in the Gulf that could have caused considerable damage to the critical infrastructure of the Gulf States and Iran," Petraeus notes. "The key achievement was to avert escalation, which threatened to be devastating not only for Iran, but also for all Gulf countries allied with the United States and critical to the global energy market," he adds.

Authorities in the Pakistani capital have declared today and tomorrow non-working days in view of the US-Iran negotiations scheduled for 10 April. The Pakistan Observer newspaper reports this, citing authorities in Islamabad.

"It is hereby notified that 9 and 10 April 2026, Thursday and Friday, are declared as non-working days in the administrative area of the capital Islamabad district, with the exception of essential service offices such as hospitals, administration and police," the statement read.

The Hezbollah-affiliated Lebanese broadcaster Al-Mayadeen reported that the Israeli Air Force carried out 21 air raids during the night on a number of villages in the Bint Jbeil district in South Lebanon. This was reported by the Israeli media Ynet. A further attack was reported on the Al-Qasmiyah bridge, also in South Lebanon, and another in Dahieh, Beirut

The Iranian Revolutionary Guardians Navy announced today that ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz will have to use two alternative routes close to the Iranian coast, citing the possibility of the presence of 'mines' along the usual route further offshore. This was reported by the France Presse news agency.

"To be protected from possible collisions with mines, in coordination with the Revolutionary Guardians Navy, until further notice the ships will have to use alternative routes for traffic in the Strait of Hormuz," Iranian media reported citing a military communiqué accompanied by a nautical chart showing the routes south and north of Larak Island.

Further reading

From Iranian nuclear power to Trump's war, EU in the pincer

07 April 2026

The Strait of Hormuz has been completely closed, forcing oil tankers to turn around. This was reported by the Iranian broadcaster Press TV, according to which maritime tracking data show that the tanker Auroura (rpt, Auroura), en route to the exit of the Strait, suddenly changed direction near the coast of Musandam (in Oman) and executed a 180-degree turn back into the Persian Gulf.

(ANSA) - ROME, 09 APR - "All US ships, aircraft, and military personnel, with ammunition, armaments, and anything else appropriate and necessary for the prosecution and lethal destruction of an already substantially weakened enemy, will remain deployed near Iran and surrounding areas until a true agreement is reached is fully complied with." US President Trump wrote this in a post on his social Truth. "If for any reason that does not happen, which is highly unlikely, then firefights will begin, bigger and more intense than ever before," he added.

The Lebanese group Hezbollah said on Thursday it had fired rockets at Israel in response to the "violation" of the US-Iran truce, Afp reports. The statement came a day after Hezbollah said it had the "right" to respond to a series of Israeli attacks that hit Lebanon. "In response to the violation of the ceasefire agreement by the enemy," Hezbollah targeted the Israeli kibbutz of Manara, near the border with Lebanon, "with a rocket launch" in the early hours of Thursday, a Hezbollah statement read.

Israeli attacks on Lebanon pose a "grave danger" to the two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran, the spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned, as reported by Afp. "Continued military activity in Lebanon poses a grave danger to the ceasefire and to efforts aimed at a lasting and comprehensive peace in the region," the spokesman said in a statement, reiterating the call for an immediate cessation of hostilities. Israeli attacks on Lebanon on Wednesday killed 182 people.

No oil or gas tanker has crossed the Strait of Hormuz since the ceasefire was triggered. This was reported by the New Yokr Times citing data from Kpler, a global ship tracking company. Only four dry cargo ships have managed to cross it.

Further reading

How the energy routes move, on the trail of Abraham's agreements

02 April 2026

Iran announces two alternative sea routes for ships intending to cross the Strait of Hormuz due to the possible presence of 'mines', according to Afp quoting Iranian media

"NATO was not there when we needed it, and it will not be there if we need it again. Remember Greenland: that big chunk of ice, poorly managed." Donald Trump said this on his social Truth in an all-caps message. The president received NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the White House a few hours ago.

Middle East news of 8 April