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President Zardari, PM Shehbaz welcome Israel-Lebanon ceasefire
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WEB DESK: President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have formally welcomed the commencement of a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, as Pakistan emerges as a pivotal mediator in broader efforts to end the regional conflict involving Iran and the United States, according to the Express Tribune.
While the truce brought a temporary reprieve to Beirut and southern Lebanon on Friday, the peace remains precarious.
Early reports from the Lebanese National News Agency indicated the first violation occurred when an ambulance was struck in the border town of Kounine, resulting in casualties among medical staff.
Simultaneously, the Lebanese Army accused Israeli forces of “acts of aggression” involving intermittent shelling, while Israel’s military maintained its deployment was a necessary response to continued Hezbollah activity.
Pakistan’s diplomatic breakthrough
The ceasefire is being viewed as a significant triumph for Pakistani diplomacy. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian specifically praised the roles of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), Field Marshal Asim Munir, in facilitating the truce.
Following a high-stakes meeting in Tehran on Thursday, President Pezeshkian credited the Pakistani leadership with bridging the gap between Tehran and Washington.
President Zardari described the cessation of hostilities as a vital step towards “de-escalation and regional stability,” reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to Lebanese sovereignty.
This sentiment was echoed by PM Shehbaz, who expressed hope that the agreement would “pave the way for sustainable peace.” Sources suggest that Field Marshal Munir’s shuttle diplomacy has been instrumental in resolving “sticky issues” that previously stalled negotiations.
Trump signals impending Iran deal
In Washington, President Donald Trump has injected further optimism into the diplomatic circuit, suggesting that a comprehensive deal with Iran could be reached as early as this weekend.
Speaking outside the White House, Trump revealed that Iran has offered to suspend its nuclear ambitions for over 20 years a major concession compared to Tehran’s previous stance.
We’re very close to making a deal with Iran,” Trump told reporters, noting that an agreement would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and alleviate the global oil price shock.
The US President also indicated he might travel to Islamabad to sign the final accord if a breakthrough is achieved. However, the stakes remain high; US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth warned that American forces are “poised to restart combat operations” should the talks fail to produce a permanent resolution.
A region on the brink
Despite the diplomatic flurry, the humanitarian situation in Lebanon remains dire. Since the escalation of the US-Israeli conflict with Iran in late February, over a million Lebanese citizens have been displaced. While celebrations erupted in Beirut at the stroke of midnight on Friday, the shadow of renewed violence looms large.
Hezbollah has issued a stern warning, stating its “finger remains on the trigger” to guard against “enemy treachery.” The group’s leadership maintained that they would respect the truce only as long as Israeli “aggression” ceased.
Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron joined the chorus of international voices calling for restraint, urging Hezbollah to renounce its weapons and demanding that Israel respect Lebanese territorial integrity to prevent the ceasefire from being undermined by “continued military operations.”
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