Negotiators from Iran and the United States are preparing for a meeting in Pakistan over the weekend — seeking to steady a shaky truce amid continued attacks. Tehran insisted on Friday that the peace talks were “on hold” over Israeli attacks against Lebanon and demanded the US fulfil its commitment to a ceasefire. Tel Aviv has repeatedly insisted that it’s invasion of Lebanon was not part of the two-week agreement reached by Iran and America.

Israeli bombings killed more than 300 people in the 24 hours after the ceasefire announcement on Tuesday night. The attacks were ostensibly aimed at Hezbollah targets but drew global condemnation for use of use of heavy munitions on densely populated areas. Reports quoting Beirut residents and officials indicate civilians were the main casualties as Israel bombed 100-plus targets in about 10 minutes.

“I want to tell you: there is no ceasefire in Lebanon. We are continuing to strike Hezbollah with force, and we will not stop until we restore your security,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted in a video message released on Thursday evening.

The remarks reportedly came shortly after Donald Trump said he had asked Netanyahu to be more “low-key” in Lebanon. The Israeli PM has since insisted that he wants to engage in direct negotiations with Lebanon on disarming Hezbollah. Both sides continued to trade strikes on Friday as hopes of a simple end to the war faded.

Netanyahu seeks Israel-Lebanon talks

The Israeli Prime Minister said on ​Thursday that he has given instructions for ‌Israel to begin peace talks with Lebanon that would also include the disarmament of Hezbollah. Reports quoting US officials indicate that the talks will likely take place in Washington next week — but there has been no official confirmation from Lebanon. A government official also told AFP that Beirut required a truce before entering any negotiations with Israel.

“In light of Lebanon’s repeated requests to ​open direct negotiations with Israel, I instructed ​the cabinet yesterday to start direct negotiations with ⁠Lebanon as soon as possible. The negotiations will focus on disarming Hezbollah and establishing ​peaceful relations between Israel and Lebanon,” Netanyahu said in a ​statement.

Iran says talks with US ‘on hold’

Calls for a ceasefire in Lebanon have also become a flashpoint for Iran-US talks. Tehran has repeatedly insisted that any ceasefire agreement must include the other country — claiming on Friday that it was putting a meeting with US delegates on hold. Meanwhile Trump appeared to cast doubt on the effectiveness of the two-week ceasefire over Iran’s continued chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian state broadcaster Press TV cited Tasnim News to reject claims that senior officials were travelling to Islamabad for negotiations with Washington on Friday. Sources reportedly told the publication that talks would remain on hold until Israeli attacks in Lebanon stop and the US fulfils its commitment to a ceasefire in the country. It reiterated that neither Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi nor Parliament Speaker Bager Ghalibaf have left the country for Pakistan.

“The news from some media outlets that an Iranian negotiating team has arrived in Islamabad, Pakistan, to negotiate with the Americans is completely false,” a source told the Iranian news site Tasnim.

As per Press TV, Iran’s Fars News Agency also categorically rejected the Wall Street Journal report, underlining that Iran has “no plans to attend peace talks with the American side until a ceasefire is established in Lebanon.” Citing a source, Fars refuted claims of any Iranian negotiating delegation travelling to Islamabad.