US President Donald Trump said Iran talks could resume “over the next two days,” adding that the country is “inclined” to go to Pakistan for further discussions. The remark came as the latest phase of the Middle East crisis continued to escalate, with the United States beginning a naval blockade of Iranian ports after a deadline passed.
In one of the most striking diplomatic shifts in years, Lebanon and Israel entered direct negotiations in Washington, the first such talks between the two governments since the 1990s. The move is notable because the two countries do not have diplomatic relations, and Lebanon has long restricted entry to people with Israeli passport stamps.
Fresh pressure around the Strait of Hormuz
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said the rising tensions around the Strait of Hormuz made it difficult to be optimistic about the impact of the Iran war. He warned that high oil prices and supply-chain pressures are likely to continue for some time.
Speaking at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Lee said the government should assume that disruption in global energy and raw materials markets will last and strengthen its emergency response system. He said that, for now, difficulties in supply chains and elevated prices will continue.
Lee called on officials to prioritise alternative supply chains, medium- to long-term industrial restructuring, and the transition to a post-plastic economy as major national strategic projects.
Direct talks between Lebanon and Israel
The start of direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel marks an extraordinary development in a relationship defined by decades of hostility. Lebanon and Israel have been at war in some form since the early 1980s, making formal face-to-face government talks highly unusual.
The two countries have no diplomatic ties, and Lebanon’s entry rules have traditionally reflected that reality. Against that background, the fact that government representatives are now talking directly in Washington is being seen as an especially significant step.
While the full agenda of the talks was not detailed in the source material, the negotiations themselves represent a rare opening between two states that have long remained deeply divided.
The broader regional picture remains unstable, with military moves, diplomatic contacts and market concerns unfolding at the same time. The blockade of Iranian ports, the uncertainty over the resumption of Iran talks, and the new channel between Lebanon and Israel all point to a period of intense pressure across the region.
