CRISIS: CEASEFIRE TOUCH & GO

Crucial US-Iranian summit starts in Pakistan but violence rolls on

- BY SIMON MURPHY

CRUNCH face-to-face peace talks between the US and Iran kicked off yesterday as violence continued to erupt in the Middle East.

Days after a two-week ceasefire was announced, Vice President JD Vance and US officials met the Iranian delegation in Pakistan.

But the fragile nature of events was underlined after three people were killed in Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon the same day.

The talks in Pakistan's capital Islamabad mark a key moment since the war began more than a month ago, with the conflict leaving thousands dead and sending energy prices spiralling.

Negotiations began between the US and Iran after progress in earlier indirect discussions.

Three-party talks started after a reduction in Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon and other preconditions being met, according to Iran's state-run news agency.

It also reportedly came after US and Iranian officials met separately with Pakistani premier Shehbaz Sharif.