[ANALYSIS] Iranian War Day 58: Weekend recap

OVERVIEW US-Iran talks stalled after Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi left Pakistan without meeting US officials. US President Trump cancelled sending Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Pakistan, saying the US “has all the cards” and would not meet “people nobody’s ever heard of”. Trump claimed Iran sent a “much better” offer within minutes of the cancellation, but said it was still “a lot but not enough”. Israel and Hezbollah continued to accuse each other of ceasefire violations despite the three-week Lebanon ceasefire extension. Iran’s semi-official Mehr news agency reported that Araghchi is expected to return to Pakistan after visiting Oman, though it remains unclear whether US officials will attend. US-IRAN TALKS Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi met Pakistani officials in Islamabad and shared Tehran’s “views and considerations” on ending the war, before leaving Pakistan without meeting US officials. US President Trump cancelled sending Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Pakistan for talks with Iran, saying there would be “too much time wasted on travelling”. Trump said the US “has all the cards” and Iran “has none”, adding that “if they want to talk, all they have to do is call”. Trump later said the US would not travel “15, 16 hours” to meet “people nobody’s ever heard of”, adding that US envoys were not meeting Iran’s actual leader. Trump claimed Iran sent a “much better” offer within 10 minutes of him cancelling the envoys’ trip, but said Iran had offered “a lot but not enough”. Iran’s semi-official Mehr news agency reported that Araghchi is expected to return to Pakistan after visiting Oman, though it remains unclear whether US officials will attend. Pakistan’s PM Sharif said his call with Iranian President Pezeshkian was “warm and constructive” and that Pakistan remains committed to facilitating durable peace. Araghchi described his Pakistan visit as “very fruitful” and said Iran had shared a “workable framework to permanently end the war”. Iranian sources said Tehran “will not accept maximalist demands”. HORMUZ **US Central Command said a merchant vessel was intercepted in the Arabian Sea. The vessel was intercepted by a US Navy helicopter from a guided-missile destroyer.** US Central Command said 37 vessels have been redirected since the start of the blockade. Iran’s military warned the US would face a response from Iran’s armed forces if “blockading, banditry, and piracy” continued. French President Macron said he wants the Strait of Hormuz reopened to oil traffic “in the coming days and weeks”, adding that more than a dozen countries are willing to join a UK-French-led mission when conditions permit. Turkey said it could help with de-mining the Strait of Hormuz after a peace agreement. LEBANON / ISRAEL Israel and Hezbollah accused each other of ceaseire violations. Israeli PM Netanyahu told the IDF to strike Hezbollah targets “with force” after rockets and drones were launched at northern Israel. Israel said it struck Hezbollah infrastructure across southern Lebanon, including launchers and weapons facilities. The IDF said two projectiles were fired from Lebanon towards Israel, with one intercepted and one landing in an open area. Israel said it shot down a “suspicious aerial target” launched from Lebanon and lost contact with another. Lebanese state media reported four people were killed in Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon. Israel reissued evacuation warnings to Lebanese civilians, telling them not to return to villages in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah said it targeted the Israeli army in recent strikes. Israeli troops remain stationed in a “security buffer zone” across southern Lebanon. SEPARATE US INCIDENT Separate to the Iran war, US President Trump was rushed to safety from the White House Correspondents’ Dinner after gunshots were reported at the Washington Hilton. Police named the suspect as 31-year-old Cole Thomas Allen from Torrance, California. One officer was struck but saved by a bulletproof vest, while Trump later called the attacker a “lone wolf whack job”.