Iran links US peace talks to Lebanon ceasefire: Report

Tehran informed international mediators that participation in peace talks with Washington depends on a ceasefire in Lebanon, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.

Iran also warned it may reverse the Strait of Hormuz decision, the outlet said, citing people familiar with the matter. Fars News Agency already reported that the passage of oil tankers through the waterway has been suspended following Israel's attack on Lebanon.

Tehran warned it may resume attacks on Israel and regional states if bombardments in Lebanon persist.

The Iranian warning follows conflicting signals regarding the scope of a regional truce. US President Donald Trump told PBS that Lebanon is excluded from the current ceasefire arrangement, identifying Hezbollah as the primary reason for the omission.

The US president told ABC he expects negotiations in Pakistan to commence as early as Friday.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said reports of ceasefire violations have surfaced and urged all parties to exercise restraint to ensure diplomacy remains the priority.

The Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil transit route through which roughly 20 million barrels pass daily, was effectively disrupted by Iran after the launch of the US-Israeli offensive on Feb. 28.

The disruption drove up global oil prices and rattled financial markets. Iran agreed to reopen the waterway under ceasefire terms announced Tuesday, less than two hours before Trump's deadline expired.