Updated : 2026-04-16 22:01:32 KST
The White House says talks with Iran are ongoing, mentioning Pakistan as a key mediator and raising the possibility of another round of negotiations. Meanwhile, separate diplomatic efforts involving Israel and Lebanon are also drawing attention. Our Park Kun-woo reports. The Trump administration has once again expressed confidence in reaching a deal with Iran. At a White House briefing on Wednesday local time, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said any future talks would likely be held in Pakistan, calling it the "only mediator," while saying nothing's official yet.
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The White House also denied reports that it has requested a ceasefire extension with Iran. "I saw some reporting, again, bad reporting this morning, that we had formally requested an extension of the ceasefire. That is not true at this moment. We remain very much engaged in these negotiations, in these talks; these conversations are productive and ongoing." Meanwhile, Pakistani officials said they have maintained "open channels of communication" between the U.S. and Iran, as a fragile truce between the two sides nears expiration.
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That comes as Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held a preliminary meeting with Pakistan's Army Chief Asim Munir a key intermediary in Tehran on Wednesday. Separately, Donald Trump also said leaders of Israel and Lebanon are expected to speak on Thursday for the first time in 34 years. In a Truth Social post, Trump said he was trying to get a "little breathing room" between the two sides.
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The announcement came after Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors held their first direct diplomatic talks in more than three decades in Washington, D.C. Lebanese officials told the BBC they were unaware of such talks, while Israeli officials said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will speak to the Lebanese President. With diplomatic efforts intensifying with some uncertainty remaining, attention is on whether a broader agreement can be reached before the two-week ceasefire expires next week. Park Kun-woo, Arirang News.
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https://m.arirang.com/news/view?id=295043