Trump extends Israel-Lebanon ceasefire by three weeks
US President Donald Trump has said that Israel and Lebanon have agreed to extend their ceasefire by three weeks following talks at the White House, in a move aimed at easing tensions along one of the region’s most volatile front lines. The announcement came after a high-level meeting involving senior US officials and representatives from both countries, including Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, signaling Washington’s intent to stabilize the situation. Mr Trump said the United States would continue to support Lebanon’s ability to defend itself, particularly against Hezbollah, the Iran-backed armed group central to recent cross-border tensions.
He also expressed hope that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun could visit Washington for further discussions. The ceasefire, which had been due to expire within days, follows a period of deadly exchanges in southern Lebanon that raised fears of wider regional escalation, prompting urgent diplomatic efforts to prevent further deterioration. Officials say the extension is designed to create space for negotiations and reduce the risk of miscalculation, although conditions on the ground remain fragile and both sides continue to watch closely for potential violations.
Trump signals slower approach on Iran deal
Alongside the ceasefire extension, Mr Trump signaled a deliberate and cautious approach to negotiations with Iran, making clear he would not be rushed into a new agreement despite ongoing regional tensions. “Don’t rush me,” he told reporters, stressing that any future deal must be more robust than the 2015 nuclear accord, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which he has repeatedly criticized.
While US officials suggest there has been some progress in discussions, significant gaps remain, with Iran yet to fully align itself with the latest ceasefire dynamics and continuing to criticism recent US actions, including maritime pressure measures it views as provocative. Analysts say this dual-track strategy, extending the Lebanon ceasefire while slowing the pace of Iran negotiations, reflects a broader US effort to contain immediate risks without making premature long-term concessions. Taken together, the approach underscores Washington’s attempt to balance short-term de-escalation with longer-term strategic caution, even as uncertainty persists across the region and diplomatic outcomes remain far from guaranteed.
JCPOA Timeline: From 2015 Accord to Renewed Global Tension
The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), commonly known as the Iran nuclear deal, is a 2015 multilateral agreement aimed at ensuring that Iran’s nuclear program remains exclusively peaceful. Signed on July 14, 2015, in Vienna, the accord brought together Iran and the E3/EU+3 (China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union), and was endorsed by United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231 (2015). The deal followed years of sanctions and global concern over uranium enrichment, with negotiations advancing under the leadership of Barack Obama and Hassan Rouhani, and verification overseen by International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Yukiya Amano. Under its terms, Iran agreed to reduce its enriched uranium stockpile by 98 percent, cap enrichment at 3.67 percent, and limit the number of centrifuges to 6,104, while granting the IAEA extensive inspection access to facilities such as Natanz and Fordow.
In return, nuclear-related sanctions imposed by the United Nations, the European Union, and the United States were eased, alongside the retention of a “snapback” mechanism. Sanctions relief formally began on January 16, 2016 (“Implementation Day”), with subsequent milestones including “Transition Day” in 2023 and “Termination Day” in 2025. However, on May 8, 2018, the United States, under President Donald Trump, withdrew from the agreement and reimposed sanctions, prompting Iran to scale back compliance from 2019 onward. While United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has described the accord as a major achievement in nuclear non-proliferation, European powers have continued efforts to preserve it; nevertheless, as of 2023, partial non-compliance by Iran has led the European Union to maintain certain sanctions, and attempts to revive the agreement remain a key focus of global diplomacy
Web Resources on Israel-Lebanon ceasefire extends by Trump
1. CNN.com : Iran war, Israel-Lebanon ceasefire extended by 3 weeks, Trump says.
2. Reuters.com : Trump says leaders of Lebanon and Israel could meet in next three weeks | Reuters
3. BBC.com : Trump says Israel-Lebanon ceasefire extended by three weeks, but he won’t ‘rush’ Iran deal.