Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf has laid down two preconditions before formal negotiations with the United States can proceed — a ceasefire in Lebanon and the release of Iran’s blocked assets.
Ghalibaf said both measures had been agreed between the parties but “have yet to be implemented,” raising fresh doubts about whether the fragile two-week ceasefire brokered through Pakistan will hold.
The statement comes as US Vice-President JD Vance heads to Islamabad to lead the American delegation for direct talks with Iran. The Lebanon question has been a central point of contention since the ceasefire was announced, with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu explicitly stating that Lebanon is not covered by the truce.
Iran’s position hardens the negotiating landscape considerably. Israel killed 89 people in Lebanon strikes earlier this week, and Iran has repeatedly threatened to exit the ceasefire if attacks on Lebanon continue.
For Sri Lanka, the outcome of these talks carries direct consequences. The Strait of Hormuz remains under controlled access despite the ceasefire, with ships continuing to avoid the waterway and oil prices rising for a second consecutive day. Any breakdown in talks would threaten the island’s already strained fuel supply chain and delay relief from emergency rationing measures.
