Pakistan-Mediated US-Iran Ceasefire Begins To Break Down Within 24 Hours Of Announcement

Islamabad: Hours after Pakistan brokered a peace deal between Iran and the US, the ceasefire has already started to fall apart, with violations being reported at several places across the conflict zone. This has prompted Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urging all parties to exercise restraint during the two-week period. 

“Violations of ceasefire have been reported at few places across the conflict zone which undermine the spirit of peace process. I earnestly and sincerely urge all parties to exercise restraint and respect the ceasefire for two weeks, as agreed upon, so that diplomacy can take a lead role towards peaceful settlement of the conflict,” Sharif posted on X.

Tehran Issues Warning

Tehran has already indicated that it will withdraw from the ceasefire agreement if Israel continues to launch attacks on Lebanon, Iran’s Tasnim News Agency reported on Wednesday. Israel has been pounding missiles across Lebanon, reasoning that these strikes do not fall under the ambit of the ceasefire.   

"Iran is currently considering the possibility of exiting the ceasefire agreement due to the Zionist regime's continued violations through its attacks on Lebanon," the agency said.

It has been reported that both the US and Iran had agreed to cessation of war on all fronts, including the "heroic Islamic Resistance in Lebanon," which was one of the several conditions accepted by the Trump administration as part of the peace plan. 

"However, the Zionist regime has, since this morning, carried out brutal attacks on Lebanon in clear violation of the ceasefire," the official, cited by Tasnim News Agency, added.

While Pakistan maintains that the ceasefire includes Lebanon, Israel stated otherwise. Among several Israeli strikes in Lebanon, an ambulance was blown apart in the town of Al-Qlailah in the Tyre district of southern Lebanon, killing at least four people. For Israel, its military operations in Lebanon will continue as it maintains that the temporary truce applies only to Iran and does not extend to other regions.

In addition to this, an oil refinery on Iran's Lavan Island was hit hours after the ceasefire came into effect. Firefighting teams were deployed at the site to contain the blaze.

Levying Tolls On Ship Crossing Hormuz

On top of the ceasefire violations, a major contradiction has come up regarding a provision in the 10-point deal put forward by Iran, which intended to allow both Tehran and Muscat to levy fees on ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz. Oman issued a statement saying that it does not intend to impose any toll on ships crossing through the crucial energy chokepoint.

Omani Transport Minister Said bin Hamoud bin Saeed Al Maawali said that Muscat has signed “all maritime transport agreements that stipulate no fees on passage through the Strait of Hormuz".

The Strait of Hormuz, lies between Iran and Oman. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) guarantees the right of “transit passage” through straits used for international navigation. Levying toll charges for crossing any strait is against international convention.

Acceptance of Uranium Enrichment

Among the 10-point peace deal shared by Iran soon after the announcement of the ceasefire, one of the clauses in Farsi mentions 'Acceptance of Uranium Enrichment'. However, this point is absent from the English version of the document that Iranian diplomats shared with the media, raising questions over the suspected diplomatic stance of Tehran and the sustainability of the ceasefire if their demands are not transparent.

Here Is Iran's 10 Point Plan

• The US must commit to guaranteed non-aggression.
• Iran's sustained control over the Strait of Hormuz.
• Iran's right to uranium enrichment must be recognized.
• Lifting of all major sanctions.
• Lifting of all secondary sanctions.
• Termination of all UN Security Council resolutions.
• Cancellation of all IAEA Board of Governors resolutions.
• Payment of compensation for damages suffered by Iran.
• Withdrawal of US combat forces from the region.
• Cessation of war on all fronts, including against the heroic Islamic resistance in Lebanon.

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