US President Donald Trump has said that the leaders of Israel and Lebanon will speak on Thursday, April 16, more than three decades after their last discussion as tensions remain high
Trump is confident the leaders will meet today(Image: Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump said in a post on social media that Israeli and Lebanese leadership will speak more than 30 years after their last conversation.
It comes after the White House has said reports that the US has asked for a two-week extension of the ceasefire with Iran are “not true” and Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency said Iran has not agreed to extend the two-week ceasefire “at this stage”.
Taking to Truth Social Trump wrote: “Trying to get a little breathing room between Israel and Lebanon. It has been a long time since the two leaders have spoken, like 34 years. It will happen tomorrow. Nice! President DJT”
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Amid hopes of renewed talks between the US and Iran, the US blockade of Iranian ports remains in place, while Tehran has threatened to retaliate by striking targets across the Middle East. More than 10,000 additional US troops are expected to arrive in the region, including 6,000 aboard the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush, along with several warships.
Responding to the blockade, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Iranian counterpart that reopening the Strait of Hormuz was a unanimous demand from the international community. Wang Yi told Abbas Araghchi in a phone call late on Wednesday that Iran’s sovereignty, security and legitimate rights should be respected as a littoral state of the Strait of Hormuz, but freedom of navigation and safety through the strait should be ensured.
“Working to resume normal passage of the strait is a unanimous call from the international community,” Wang was quoted as saying in a government statement.
Wang noted that the current situation had reached a critical juncture between war and peace and also said that the window of peace was opening . Araghchi told Wang Yi that Iran was willing to continue to seek a rational and realistic solution through peaceful negotiations, the statement said
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