April 15: Iran-US ceasefire set to extend to Lebanon as Tehran shapes regional diplomacy

By Press TV Website Staff

Regional diplomacy gathered momentum on Wednesday as Iran's growing influence steered toward a ceasefire in Lebanon, reportedly set to take effect soon.

The possible week-long truce, aligned with the Iran-US ceasefire window, follows sustained coordination between Tehran, Hezbollah, and regional partners.

Iranian and Pakistani officials also deepened mediation efforts, with Pakistan's army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir arriving in Tehran ahead of a possible second round of US-Iran talks, expected to return to Islamabad.

At sea, Iran firmly rejected Washington's attempted "blockade," warning that any restriction on maritime trade in the Persian Gulf or the Sea of Oman would trigger a decisive response.

Meanwhile, as the US expanded its military deployments and announced new illegal sanctions against Iran, the White House signaled cautious optimism about a "potential deal."

Key developments on day 47 of the war, eighth day of the ceasefire:

• Following Iran’s strenuous efforts and pressure, a ceasefire in Lebanon is expected to take effect soon, according to Lebanese media reports.
• Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf stated that "the completion and consolidation of a comprehensive ceasefire in Lebanon will be the result of the resistance and steadfast struggle of the great Hezbollah and the unity of the Axis of Resistance."
• Israeli Channel 13 reported that the United States has effectively accepted Iran’s condition linking renewed negotiations to a ceasefire in Lebanon.
• Talking about the US-Israeli war on Iran, the US President Donald Trump said, “I think it’s close to over, yeah. I view it as very close to being over.”
• The United States is ramping up its military presence in West Asia, with the Trump administration deploying thousands of additional troops, according to the Wall Street Journal.
• Iran's top military commander, Major General Ali Abdollahi, issued a stern warning to the United States, stating that any attempt to block maritime trade in the Persian Gulf or the Sea of Oman would be met with decisive action.
• Iranian armed forces warned of blocking all sea trade in the Persian Gulf, the Sea of Oman, and the Red Sea if the US continues its maritime blockade.
• Pakistan’s Army Chief, Asim Munir, who is in Tehran, held preliminary talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, ahead of a more substantive meeting scheduled for Thursday.
• FM Araghchi thanked Pakistan for its “gracious hosting” of the US-Iran dialogue as he received the country’s high-level delegation in Tehran.
• President Masoud Pezeshkian said no power in the world can force the Iranian nation into submission, slamming double standards in international policies.
• The Trump administration feels “good about prospects of a deal” with Iran, the White House said, while noting that Pakistan would be the likely location of a potential second round of in-person talks.
• Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman said that the Islamic Republic is “not blockable,” rejecting the US attempt to impose a naval blockade on the country, while warning that it violates the fragile ceasefire and could trigger a proportional response from Iranian armed forces.
• Iran said that the physical remnants recovered from weapons used in recent aggression, identified in multiple affected cities, confirm these arms were part of the arsenals of some Persian Gulf states.
• Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani spoke over the phone with Trump about ongoing regional developments and called for de-escalation.
• The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Vice President and Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan held a phone call with Qalibaf, discussing the recent war and the UAE's involvement in it.
• Iran vehemently rejected a UAE-backed proposal adopted by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) on establishing a so-called “safe maritime corridor” in the Strait of Hormuz, slamming it as alegally-groundless and politically-motivated move.
• Iran’s Foreign Ministry said the country’s right to enrich uranium was “indisputable”, although the level of enrichment is “negotiable.”
• Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov defended Iran’s inalienable right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes, saying that Russia accepts any decision that suits the Iranian side.
• Several US lawmakers are set to file five articles of impeachment against Secretary of War Pete Hegseth over war crimes committed in Iran.
• Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned against the Israeli regime’s attempts to sabotage a fragile ceasefire between the US and Iran, saying that Ankara will push for an extension of the truce and ensure peace talks continue.
• UAE is to close its flagship Burj Al Arab hotel for one and a half years amid a sharp drop in tourist visits to the Persian Gulf country, caused by Iran’s retaliatory attacks against US bases in the region, a report said.
• Belgian authorities seized two British shipments of military components bound for Israel, invoking a ban on any military-laden aircraft using the country’s facilities or airspace
• The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Wednesday that at least 399 US service members had been wounded during the aggression on Iran that began on February 28 and ended in a two-week ceasefire on April 7.
• US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the US is "now willing to apply secondary sanctions” on countries that buy Iranian oil.
• The US Treasury Department announced a fresh package of illegal sanctions on more than two dozen Iranians, companies and vessels.
• Sri Lanka repatriated 238 Iranian sailors stranded in the South Asian country after the Iranian naval vessel, IRIS Dena, was torpedoed by a US submarine in the Indian Ocean on March 4. The maritime terrorist attack claimed the lives of at least 104 crew members.
• The US Senate could vote as early as Wednesday on a Democratic-led effort to limit Trump’s war powers.
• The Chinese foreign ministry said that it “opposes groundless smear and ill-intentioned association."

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