'We don't see Pakistan as a credible player': Israel questions Islamabad's role in US-Iran ceasefire talks

Pakistan is not a credible partner, Israel's ambassador to India said late Wednesday, as uncertainty deepened over whether Lebanon was included in the ceasefire between Iran and the United States.

The remarks came as conflicting statements from Islamabad, Washington, and Tel Aviv raised questions about the scope of the agreement and ongoing military action in the region.

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Pakistan is mediating between Iran and the United States. Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said earlier on Wednesday that Tehran and Washington had agreed to a ceasefire that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and halt attacks on Lebanon. Hours later, he said violations had been reported in parts of the conflict zone, while Israeli strikes in Lebanon continued.

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Israel's ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, rejected Pakistan's role in the process. "We don't see Pakistan as a credible player. The United States has decided to use the services of Pakistan for its own reasons. We have seen in the past how the United States has managed to take problematic states like Qatar and Turkey and use them for the benefit of achieving an agreement with Hamas. For us, it is very important to stay in sync with the United States when it comes to the substance and the essence of the outcome we want to see."

US President Donald Trump said Lebanon was not part of the arrangement. "They were not included in the deal. That'll get taken care of, too. It's all right," he told PBS News Hour.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also backed the US ceasefire with Iran but made clear it did not extend to Hezbollah in Lebanon. Netanyahu's office said Israel supported Trump's decision to pause strikes against Iran for two weeks, provided Iran reopened Hormuz and stopped attacks on the US, Israel, and other countries in the region. It added that Israel supports US efforts to ensure Iran no longer poses a nuclear or missile threat.

US Vice President JD Vance said the confusion over Lebanon came from a misreading of the deal. "I think this comes from a legitimate misunderstanding. We never made that promise," he said. "What we said is that the ceasefire would be focused on Iran, and the ceasefire would be focused on America's allies, both Israel and the Gulf Arab states."