Pezeshkian’s visit comes a day after senior U.S. and Iranian officials held negotiations in Switzerland, where Vice President JD Vance and Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf launched a 60-day diplomatic process intended to produce a permanent settlement following the recent war involving Iran, the United States and Israel.

The talks have exposed differences over key implementation details. Vance said discussions in Switzerland included an understanding that inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) would be allowed to visit Iranian nuclear facilities. However, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said on Tuesday that no inspections had been scheduled for sites previously damaged in U.S. strikes.

The IAEA has maintained a presence in Iran since the 2025 conflict between Israel and Iran, but inspectors have not been granted access to several enrichment facilities targeted during the hostilities.

Security was heightened across parts of Islamabad as Pezeshkian met Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The visit marks the Iranian leader’s first trip to Pakistan since the conflict that began with U.S. and Israeli military action against Iran on Feb. 28.

Ahead of the meetings, Pezeshkian stressed that progress in the negotiations would depend on all parties fulfilling their commitments.

“The effectiveness of the talks depends on full commitment to the agreed obligations and their precise implementation,” Pezeshkian wrote on the social media platform X. “Progress on this path will be measured by practical adherence to accepted responsibilities.”

Iranian officials said the ongoing technical discussions in Switzerland have established several working groups focused on sanctions relief, nuclear issues, postwar reconstruction and verification mechanisms.

According to Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency, Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said negotiators had also created coordination mechanisms related to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and efforts to reduce tensions along the Israel-Lebanon frontier.

One of the key outcomes of the initial negotiations was an agreement to establish a “de-confliction cell” intended to address hostilities between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement in Lebanon. Mediators from Pakistan and Qatar said the mechanism would involve the Lebanese government and seek to uphold the cessation of military operations.

Questions remain, however, about the effectiveness of the arrangement. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that Israeli forces would retain full operational freedom to respond to perceived threats, while Hezbollah has maintained that it will not halt attacks permanently unless Israel withdraws from contested areas in southern Lebanon.

Neither Israel nor Hezbollah is a formal participant in the U.S.-Iran negotiating framework, complicating efforts to translate diplomatic understandings into durable security arrangements on the ground.

U.S. President Donald Trump, when asked about Netanyahu’s remarks, said Washington would monitor developments closely and expressed confidence that outstanding issues could be resolved.

A ceasefire in Lebanon brokered over the weekend appeared to be holding on Tuesday, with no immediate reports of renewed strikes by either side.

Lebanese and Israeli officials were expected to hold another round of direct talks in Washington later on Tuesday, with discussions focused on potential arrangements for an Israeli military withdrawal and broader security guarantees along the border.

The negotiations represent one of the most significant diplomatic efforts in the region since the end of the Iran conflict and are being closely watched by governments concerned about nuclear oversight, maritime security and the risk of renewed hostilities across the Middle East.

The incident occurred near Nabatieh Al-Fawqa in southern Lebanon, where Lebanese state news agency NNA reported that Israeli soldiers opened fire on a group of people gathered near a bulldozer clearing a road in the Al-Deir neighborhood.

The Israeli military said its forces had struck “armed terrorists who posed an immediate threat” to troops operating in the Ali Al-Taher ridge area, within a zone in southern Lebanon that Israel has designated as a security area. The military did not immediately confirm whether its statement referred to the same incident reported by Lebanese authorities.

The deaths came as a U.S.-Iran-backed ceasefire arrangement aimed at halting hostilities in Lebanon faced its first major test. The truce, which has largely held since Sunday, followed diplomatic efforts linked to broader negotiations between Washington and Tehran seeking to stabilize multiple regional flashpoints.

Hezbollah condemned the shooting, accusing Israel of violating the ceasefire.

“The Islamic Resistance warns that what the enemy has committed constitutes a blatant violation of the ceasefire, which the Resistance has adhered to up to this point,” the group said in a statement.

The latest tensions emerged as technical discussions continued following U.S.-Iran talks held in Switzerland on Monday. A joint statement issued after those negotiations announced plans to establish a “de-confliction cell” designed to oversee adherence to the cessation of military operations in Lebanon and reduce the risk of renewed fighting.

Iranian officials have repeatedly stressed that developments in Lebanon are an integral component of the broader diplomatic framework currently under discussion.

Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Ali Bahreini, said any breach of commitments related to Lebanon could complicate ongoing peace negotiations.

“Lebanon is an unquestionable part of the agreement, and whatever happens in Lebanon affects the whole process,” Bahreini told reporters, adding that the United States should use its influence to prevent further attacks.

Israeli forces remain deployed in parts of southern Lebanon following military operations launched against Hezbollah during the latest escalation. The most recent round of fighting began on March 2, when Hezbollah launched attacks against Israel in support of Iran during the wider conflict involving Tehran, Washington and Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that Israeli forces would retain operational freedom to respond to any direct or emerging threats posed by Hezbollah and would remain in southern Lebanon for as long as necessary to safeguard Israeli security.

The incident underscores the challenges facing diplomatic efforts to transform a temporary cessation of hostilities into a durable security arrangement, particularly as Israeli forces remain on Lebanese territory and Hezbollah continues to insist on an Israeli withdrawal as a condition for ending military operations permanently.

Lebanese authorities say the conflict has displaced approximately 1.2 million people and caused extensive destruction across southern regions of the country. Israel has reported military and civilian casualties from Hezbollah attacks during the same period.

Lebanese and Israeli officials are expected to continue discussions through international mediation channels as efforts proceed to prevent the ceasefire from unraveling.

The talks, mediated by Pakistan and Qatar, marked the opening phase of a 60-day diplomatic process designed to translate a recently signed memorandum of understanding into a broader settlement covering regional security, maritime navigation and Iran’s nuclear program.

Mediators said the parties agreed to establish a “de-confliction cell” involving Lebanese authorities to monitor and support the implementation of a ceasefire between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement. The mechanism is intended to reduce the risk of renewed military escalation in Lebanon, where hostilities have continued despite previous truce efforts.

Pakistan and Qatar described the discussions as constructive and confirmed that lower-level technical negotiations would continue throughout the week in Switzerland.

The negotiations faced an uncertain start after Trump publicly warned Iran against supporting Hezbollah operations in Lebanon and threatened renewed military action against Tehran.

“Iran must immediately stop their highly paid proxies in Lebanon from causing trouble,” Trump said in comments that prompted a sharp response from Iranian officials.

Iranian negotiators temporarily suspended participation and consulted with Qatari mediators before returning to the talks, according to officials familiar with the discussions. Mediation efforts by Qatar and Pakistan helped keep negotiations on track.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi later praised the diplomatic efforts, describing the newly established Lebanon coordination mechanism as the first major test of the broader agreement.

The talks brought together U.S. Vice President JD Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff and presidential adviser Jared Kushner with Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Araghchi.

According to officials involved in the negotiations, discussions focused on maintaining freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, enforcing the Lebanon ceasefire and laying groundwork for future negotiations on Iran’s nuclear activities.

The status of the Strait of Hormuz remained a contentious issue. Iran maintained that it had reimposed restrictions on passage through the strategic waterway over the weekend, while U.S. officials insisted commercial shipping traffic continued.

The narrow channel carries a significant share of global oil exports, making its security a major concern for energy markets and governments worldwide.

The broader agreement between Washington and Tehran includes provisions allowing Iran greater access to oil export markets and frozen overseas assets in exchange for commitments related to regional security and nuclear oversight.

However, differences remain over uranium enrichment. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian reiterated that Tehran would not relinquish what it considers its right to enrich uranium, while U.S. officials continue to seek constraints on Iran’s nuclear activities.

Vance described the negotiations as an opportunity to reshape regional relations and expressed hope that both sides could build on the initial diplomatic progress.

Financial markets have closely monitored the talks. Oil prices fell sharply after the announcement of the initial U.S.-Iran understanding, reflecting expectations that a sustained reduction in regional tensions could ease concerns about disruptions to global energy supplies.

The continuation of technical negotiations this week is expected to determine whether the parties can bridge remaining differences on Lebanon, maritime security and Iran’s nuclear program before senior officials reconvene for the next phase of talks.

Hassan Fadlallah, a Hezbollah lawmaker, said in a televised excerpt that the group has “complete confidence” that Iran will insist on Lebanon being part of any US-Iran understanding, reflecting expectations within the organization that negotiations will extend beyond bilateral issues to regional conflicts.

The comments come as Hezbollah’s involvement in the wider regional conflict has escalated since March 2, when the group entered the confrontation in support of Tehran, triggering an Israeli military response in southern Lebanon that has resulted in heavy casualties and ongoing strikes, according to Lebanese officials and media reports.

Iranian officials have repeatedly called for an end to hostilities in Lebanon to be incorporated into any broader settlement. Mohsen Rezaei, an adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, has previously said Lebanon would be an “inseparable part” of any ceasefire framework, according to semi-official Iranian media reports.

A Western source cited in regional reporting said a memorandum between Washington and Tehran aimed at halting fighting could be signed soon, though details remain under negotiation, including provisions linked to Lebanon. The source added that Iran has maintained its position that any agreement must address the conflict there.

The United States has been mediating discussions between Lebanese and Israeli counterparts, but Hezbollah is not formally part of those talks and has rejected US-backed proposals calling for the group to cease fire and withdraw forces from southern Lebanon.

Tensions in southern Lebanon have continued despite multiple ceasefire announcements, with Lebanese state media reporting further Israeli airstrikes in several towns and villages on Friday.

Hezbollah’s political leadership has said it rejects external conditions tied to its military posture, while emphasizing its expectation that regional negotiations will reflect what it describes as Lebanon’s central role in any final agreement.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi made the remarks during a phone call on Tuesday with Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, according to China’s state news agency Xinhua.

“China will continue to support Pakistan’s mediation efforts and make its own contribution toward this end,” Wang said, Xinhua reported, referring to diplomatic engagement aimed at easing tensions between Washington and Tehran and addressing issues linked to the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

The comments came as Trump was expected to arrive in Beijing on Wednesday evening for meetings with Xi, whose government maintains close economic and strategic ties with Iran despite persistent friction between Tehran and Washington.

Pakistan has increasingly positioned itself as an intermediary between the United States and Iran as negotiations continue over a potential peace framework following recent conflict between the two countries.

Iran on Tuesday rejected suggestions that it should revise its latest proposals in the talks, after Trump dismissed the proposals as “garbage,” according to statements carried by international media.

The Strait of Hormuz, located between Oman and Iran, remains one of the world’s most critical maritime oil transit routes, carrying a significant share of global crude exports.

Any disruption to shipping through the waterway has historically raised concerns in energy markets and among major importing economies, including China.
Beijing has repeatedly called for dialogue and de-escalation in the Middle East while seeking to protect energy supply chains vital to its economy.

China has also expanded diplomatic engagement in the region in recent years, including brokering the restoration of diplomatic ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia in 2023.

Trump’s visit to Beijing comes amid broader discussions between Washington and Beijing over regional security, trade tensions and the future of U.S. policy toward Taiwan, according to officials and state media reports.