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Issued on: 15/04/2026 – 02:24Modified: 15/04/2026 – 02:28
US President Donald Trump at the White House, April 13, 2026, in Washington © Brendan SMIALOWSKI, AFP
President Donald Trump said Tuesday that US-Iran peace talks could resume this week, while Israel and Lebanon agreed to launch direct negotiations, signaling movement on two key fronts in efforts to ease the Middle East conflict. The parallel diplomatic openings came even as violence persisted, underscoring both the fragility of the process and Washington’s push to stabilise a region shaken by the over-six-week war. Follow our liveblog for the latest developments.
15/04/2026 – 02:28Canada and UK condemn killings of UN peacekeepers in Lebanon
Canada, the United Kingdom and other countries condemned the killings of UN peacekeepers in Lebanon and called for an end to hostilities in a joint statement.
15/04/2026 – 02:24Trump says Iran talks may resume as Israel, Lebanon open direct track
President Donald Trump said Tuesday that US-Iran peace talks could resume this week, while Israel and Lebanon agreed to launch direct negotiations, signaling movement on two key fronts in efforts to ease the Middle East conflict.
The parallel diplomatic openings came even as violence persisted, underscoring both the fragility of the process and Washington’s push to stabilize a region shaken by the over-six-week war.
Trump told The New York Post a new round of talks with Tehran could take place in Pakistan “over the next two days,” after saying the day before that unnamed Iranian officials had called him seeking a deal.
At the same time, Israel and Lebanon agreed to open direct talks after meeting in Washington, in what amounted to a rare diplomatic breakthrough between two countries formally at war for decades.
Italy has suspended the renewal of its defence agreement with Israel, which involves the exchange of military equipment and technology research, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Tuesday. Lebanon‘s ambassador to the United States Nada Hamadeh Moawad called for a ceasefire during “constructive” talks on Tuesday with Israeli officials in Washington, she said in a statement. No ships have made it past a U.S. naval blockade of Iran’s ports and coastal areas, and six merchant ships have followed orders to turn back, the U.S. military said on Tuesday, on day one of the blockade ordered by US President Donald Trump after peace talks between the U.S. and Iran broke down.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and Reuters)