The Strait of Hormuz remained shut on Friday as hostilities continued between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, raising fresh doubts over a fragile ceasefire agreement involving the United States and Iran.
The shutdown of the strategic waterway has triggered major disruptions to global energy supplies, while parallel fighting in Lebanon has further complicated efforts to stabilise the region.
U.S. President Donald Trump criticised Iran’s handling of the situation, stating that Tehran was “doing a very poor job” of allowing oil shipments through the strait and insisting that such actions violated the ceasefire understanding.
Iran, however, accused Israel of breaching the truce through continued military operations in Lebanon, where Israeli strikes reportedly killed more than 250 people in heavily populated areas shortly after the ceasefire was announced.
Tehran maintains that the agreement was intended to include hostilities in Lebanon, a position initially supported by mediators in Pakistan. Israel and the United States have rejected that interpretation, arguing that Lebanon is not covered under the bilateral ceasefire framework.
Despite the disagreements, Israel has indicated it will open separate negotiations with the Lebanese government aimed at ending the conflict and addressing the status of Hezbollah.
A Pakistani official involved in mediation efforts said preparations for peace talks between the United States and Iran remain on schedule, with delegations expected to meet in Islamabad.
Advance teams from both sides are reportedly already positioned at a hotel in the Pakistani capital, where indirect communication is being facilitated ahead of the formal discussions scheduled to begin Saturday.
While no face-to-face meetings took place on Friday, mediators say diplomatic channels remain active, with Pakistan serving as an intermediary between the two sides.
The official added that the reduction in violence in Lebanon is seen as a positive development, though tensions remain high across multiple fronts.
