Mourning in Sidon after Israeli strike kills 13 Lebanese security personnel: New York Times

Sidon [Lebanon], April 12 : Mourners in the coastal city of Sidon on Saturday gathered to pay tribute to 13 state security personnel killed in an Israeli strike, underscoring rising tensions in the region, according to the New York Times.

The personnel were killed a day earlier in a strike on the southern city of Nabatieh, the news report said.

According to the New York Times, Israel has stated that its operations are targeting Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militia. However, the attacks have raised concerns about their broader impact, particularly on the fragile US-Iran ceasefire.

According to the news report, the escalation risks derailing ongoing diplomatic efforts, with several countries calling for Lebanon to be included in the truce to prevent further instability and ensure regional peace.

Meanwhile, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei on Saturday that Tehran is in constant contact with Beirut to ensure that the ceasefire commitments in Lebanon are upheld, as reported by Iranian media Fars news agency.

According to Fars, Baghaei, speaking from Islamabad where formal US-Iran negotiations are underway to end the ongoing conflict in West Asia, said the Iranian delegation has already engaged with Pakistani officials and clearly conveyed its positions and demands.

Fars further reported that Baghaei noted instances of ceasefire violations on Saturday, underscoring the fragile nature of the situation on ground.

Meanwhile, trilateral ceasefire talks between the United States, Iran and Pakistan have started in Islamabad, Al Jazeera reported, noting that this is the highest-level talks between Washington and Tehran since the 1979 Islamic revolution.

Ahead of the talks with the United States, the Iranian negotiating team held a strategic meeting in the Pakistani capital. The delegation, which arrived in Islamabad to participate in high-stakes discussions, fine-tuned its agenda before the formal commencement of the "peace talks" with the US.

Prior to this engagement, US Vice President JD Vance also held a high-level meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, according to a statement from the White House.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, also met the Pakistani Prime Minister.

The American delegation, led by JD Vance includes Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner.

Shehbaz Sharif had earlier termed the talks as "make or break" negotiations.

Held under intense security, the engagement aims to stabilise a fragile ceasefire and navigate the future of regional security. The ceasefire announcement was made on April 8.

Vice-President of Iran, Mohammad Reza Aref, had suggested earlier that the outcome depends entirely on the American approach.

Taking to X, he noted that if the Iranian representatives meet those representing "America First," an agreement beneficial to both sides and the world is probable.

However, he warned that if they face representatives of "Israel First," there will be no deal, stating, "we will inevitably continue our defence even more vigorously than before, and the world will face greater costs."

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