IRAN WAR LATEST: Mediators praise 'progress' in peace talks after Trump warns Iran about 'proxies'
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Iran’s top negotiator left peace talks in Switzerland on Monday after an 18-hour marathon session with the United States, as mediators have claimed progress towards finalizing a deal to end the Iran war.
Mediating parties from Pakistan and Qatar said conditions were set for technical talks to immediately follow, with both sides at the beginning of a 60-day period to settle a long-term deal.
A memorandum of understanding was signed between the two countries last week, laying out the framework for the negotiations.
Issues that still need to be tackled include Iran’s nuclear program and enriched uranium.
Here’s the latest on the Iran war on Monday:
Trump warns of attacks if Iran doesn’t stop ‘paid proxies’
U.S. President Donald Trump has warned of new attacks on Iran if it did not “immediately stop their highly paid PROXIES in Lebanon from causing trouble.”
Iran hit back with a warning of its own, AFP reported.
“They would do better to be careful with their statements; our armed forces are ready to respond to them in a different manner. No matter what they say, we are the ones who act,” said Iran’s chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.
There had been no reports of Israeli strikes or continued fighting on Monday morning, with some residents of southern Lebanon cautiously trickling back to their homes.
Israel’s military chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir visited troops in south Lebanon on Sunday, where he said Hezbollah was in a “very difficult position” and the army was ready to prevent it rebuilding.
The overall death toll from the fighting in Lebanon has now surpassed 4,100, the health ministry said, per AFP.
Iranian negotiating team leaves Switzerland
Iran’s top negotiators have left Switzerland after an 18-hour session of intense talks, the country’s state media reported.
The team, led by Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Central Bank Governor Abdolnaser Hemmati, Deputy Oil Minister Hamid Boord, and nuclear negotiator Ali Bakri, Al Jazeera reported .
Negotiations still have to tackle some issues, including Iran’s nuclear program and enriched uranium.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said that “a very brief discussion took place regarding the nuclear issue, but there was no discussion of details” and that nuclear talks had not begun, per AFP.
ISNA and Tasnim news agencies reported the technical team – led by Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi – remains in Switzerland and will continue technical negotiations on the Islamabad memorandum of understanding.
‘De-confliction cell’ to end Lebanon conflict
The U.S. and Iran have reportedly agreed to start a “de-confliction cell” webanon that will be facilitated by Qatar and Pakistan to ensure the end of military operations in Lebanon, mediators stated after peace talks in Switzerland ended, CNN reported .
“The parties agreed on the creation of a de-confliction cell, between the parties, the Lebanese Republic and facilitated by the Mediators, to ensure adherence of the termination of military operations in Lebanon as per the MoU,” the mediators stated in a joint statement.
Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Aragchi later said the “first real test” will be the effectiveness of that effort.
The fighting between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah has continued in Lebanon despite a renewal of a ceasefire agreement, which became an obstacle to Iran and U.S. reaching a peace deal.
Since March 2, the conflict in Lebanon has killed more than 4,0000 people, according to Lebanon’s health ministry.