Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf (C) and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (L) are greeted by Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar (R) at Nur Khan airbase in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, April 11, 2026
EA on International Outlets: A Fragile US-Iran Ceasefire
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is recovering from severe facial and leg injuries, three sources have told Reuters.
The sources emphasized that Khamenei remains mentally sharp and is engaged in decision-making on major issues, including ceasefire negotiations.
Khamenei was injured in the February 28 US-Israel airstrikes that killed his predecessor and father, Ali Khamenei; his wife; other family members; and dozens of Iranian officials and commanders.
Khamenei, 56, has not been seen in public and has not appeared in videos or photographs since the strike.
US intelligence services claim China is preparing to deliver new air defence systems to Iran within the next few weeks.
“Three people familiar with recent intelligence assessments” said Beijing could be routing shipments of MANPADS, shoulder-fired anti-air missiles, kthrough third countries.
Lebanon’s health ministry has updated the toll from Wednesday’s mass killing by Israel.
The Ministry said 357 people were slain, with 1,223 wounded.
Israel’s military claimed it killed 180 “militants”.
Vice President J.D. Vance, real estate developer Steve Witkoff, and Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner lead the American delegation. The Iranians are headed by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
On Tuesday night, 88 minutes before his deadline for Tehran to surrender or “Iranian civilization will die tonight”, Donald Trump accepted talks on the basis of Iran’s 10-point proposal.
The priority for the White House appeared to be Iran’s first point, freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz under Iranian control. However, Tehran also asserted its right to a civilian nuclear program, defying a 15-point US ultimatum which included a permanent end.
The Iranians did not refer to limits of ballistic missiles or on ties with Middle Eastern groups such as Lebanon’s Hezbollah. Instead, they called for an end to all conflicts in the region and sanctions against them. They sought compensation for reconstruction and US withdrawal from bases across the Middle East.
The White House tried to walk back those terms on Wednesday and Thursday. It insisted, without evidence, that Trump was referring to a different proposal than the 10-point Iranian version circulating in the media.
On Friday, Vance warned Iran against trying to “play” the US. The Iranians said meaningful talks are not possible until Israel, which insists the ceasefire does not apply to it, ends attacks in Lebanon.
Ghalibaf posted:
Two of the measures mutually agreed upon between the parties have yet to be implemented: a ceasefire in Lebanon and the release of Iran’s blocked assets prior to the commencement of negotiations.
These two matters must be fulfilled before negotiations begin.
— محمدباقر قالیباف | MB Ghalibaf (@mb_ghalibaf) April 10, 2026
After killing 357 people and wounding at least 1,223 on Wednesday, Israel continued the attacks across southern Lebanese on Friday, even though Trump told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to ease the strikes. Dozens more Lebanese, including 13 State security personnel, were slain.
On Friday, Trump returned to his bullying posture despite the risk of pre-empting the talks:
We have a reset going. We’re loading up the ships with the best ammunition, the best weapons ever made – even better than what we did previously and we blew them apart.
And if we don’t have a deal, we will be using them, and we will be using them very effectively.
He followed up, “The Iranians don’t seem to realize they have no cards, other than a short term extortion of the World by using International Waterways. The only reason they are alive today is to negotiate!”
Vance, who opposed the launch of the war, had a different message: “We’re looking forward to the negotiation. I think it’s going to be positive. If the Iranians are willing to negotiate in good faith, we’re certainly willing to extend the open hand.”