A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon entered into force Thursday, coinciding with growing global optimism that a breakthrough may be imminent in high-stakes nuclear negotiations between the United States and Iran. In a public statement, former U.S. President Donald Trump announced that a follow-up meeting between the two countries could take place as early as this weekend, raising hopes that the months-long conflict sparked by disputes over Iran’s nuclear program may finally be moving toward resolution.
Trump told reporters that Iran has proposed a voluntary moratorium on developing nuclear weapons that would last more than two decades, a core sticking point that has dominated recent talks hosted in Islamabad. “We’re going to have to wait and see what happens, but I think we are really close to a deal,” he said.
The current crisis between the U.S. and Iran erupted on February 28, when joint U.S.-Israeli military strikes launched against Iranian targets. The conflict has killed thousands of people, sent global oil prices soaring, and left regional and world leaders scrambling to de-escalate tensions. A final peace deal would mark a major policy win for the Trump administration, which has prioritized reopening the strategically critical Strait of Hormuz and rolling back Iran’s nuclear development goals.
In Lebanon’s capital Beirut, celebratory gunfire and light displays lit up the sky Thursday evening as the ceasefire came into effect. Crowds gathered in the coastal city of Sidon to celebrate displaced residents beginning to return to their homes, captured in photos from Reuters. Even with the ceasefire in place, however, the security situation remains fragile. Reports emerged shortly after the truce took hold that Israel was still carrying out artillery fire in southern Lebanon, with scattered clashes continuing in border areas. The Israel Defense Forces issued an urgent warning to residents in southern regions not to move south of the Litani River, citing ongoing active Hezbollah operations in the area. For its part, Hezbollah confirmed that its last offensive strike was carried out 10 minutes before the ceasefire went into effect, and released a full account of its military operations conducted through the end of Thursday.
Diplomatic efforts to lock in a longer-term peace are already underway. Trump said he held “excellent conversations” with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, and plans to invite both leaders to the White House in the coming weeks for substantive talks aimed at cementing the truce. He added that top U.S. officials, including Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, are working closely together to broker a lasting, sustainable peace agreement between Israel and Lebanon. Iran has welcomed the 10-day ceasefire, framing it as part of an understanding reached with the U.S. through mediation by Pakistan.
Key details of the nuclear negotiation remain challenging even with the recent momentum. When Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz – the transit route for roughly one-fifth of the world’s total oil supply – it triggered the largest single shock to global oil prices in modern history. The International Monetary Fund subsequently downgraded its global growth forecasts, warning that a prolonged conflict could push the already fragile world economy to the brink of recession.
During the Islamabad talks, U.S. negotiators proposed a 20-year pause on all sensitive Iranian nuclear activities, a major concession from the previous U.S. demand for a permanent ban on Iran’s nuclear program. Iran, for its part, has only offered a three- to five-year halt to these activities. Negotiators are also working to reach a compromise on the amount of highly enriched uranium Iran is allowed to keep, with a tentative framework emerging that would see part of Iran’s existing stockpile removed from the country.
On Wednesday, Pakistani mediator and army chief Asim Munir announced limited progress on several long-standing sticking points, though fundamental disagreements over the future of Iran’s nuclear program still remain. Iran has stated it will fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz once a deal is finalized, on the condition that it receives binding guarantees the U.S. and Israel will not launch new military attacks in the future.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned that American forces remain on high alert and ready to resume combat operations if no final agreement is reached. According to anonymous sources familiar with the negotiations, Washington has offered to lift existing economic sanctions on Iran and unfreeze billions of dollars in Iranian assets held abroad to secure a final nuclear deal.