ISLAMABAD
\nEuropean powers are intensifying calls for the recently agreed US-Iran ceasefire to be extended to Lebanon, warning that ongoing Israeli military actions are placing the fragile truce under severe strain.
\nEU\u2019s top diplomat Kaja Kallas stated that Israel\u2019s \u201cheavy-handed actions\u201d in Lebanon are endangering the ceasefire. \u201cIsraeli actions are putting the US-Iran ceasefire under severe strain. The Iran truce should extend to Lebanon,\u201d she said, adding that Hezbollah must disarm.
\nUK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper and French officials echoed these concerns, urging the inclusion of Lebanon to prevent further regional destabilisation. Meanwhile, Pakistan\u2019s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif thanked UN Secretary-General Ant\u00f3nio Guterres and other global partners for recognising Islamabad\u2019s diplomatic efforts in brokering the US-Iran ceasefire.
\nPM Sharif highlighted Pakistan\u2019s role in facilitating dialogue and expressed gratitude to countries like China, Saudi Arabia, T\u00fcrkiye, Egypt, and Qatar for their support. In a related development, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan held a phone call with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi \u2014 the first such high-level contact since the conflict began \u2014 to discuss ways to reduce tensions and restore security and stability in the region.
\nMedical authorities in Iran reported that more than 3,000 Iranians were killed during the war that erupted in late February. Iran\u2019s forensic chief shared the figures with state media, noting significant challenges in identifying many of the deceased.On the ground in Lebanon, the Israeli military claimed it killed Ali Yusuf Harshi, the personal secretary and nephew of Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem, in a strike on Beirut.
\nThe operation is part of intensified Israeli actions against Hezbollah targets despite the broader US-Iran truce. Separately, Pakistan\u2019s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar discussed the latest regional developments in a telephone conversation with Uzbekistan\u2019s Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov, with both sides agreeing to stay in close contact on matters of mutual interest.
\nThe ceasefire between the US and Iran, described as a two-week pause, remains under pressure as fighting continues in Lebanon and concerns grow over its long-term sustainability. European leaders, including those from the UK and France, are pushing for swift diplomatic steps to broaden the truce and prevent a wider escalation. \u2014 DNA<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ISLAMABAD European powers are intensifying calls for the recently agreed US-Iran ceasefire to be extended to Lebanon, warning that ongoing Israeli military actions are placing the fragile truce under severe strain. EU\u2019s top diplomat Kaja Kallas stated that Israel\u2019s \u201cheavy-handed actions\u201d in Lebanon are endangering the ceasefire. \u201cIsraeli actions are putting the US-Iran ceasefire under […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":540946,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-540923","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-top-news"],"yoast_head":"\n