Iran links Hormuz Strait reopening to Israel-Lebanon ceasefire

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran's negotiating team refused to shake hands with the U.S. delegation or pose for a joint photo at the opening of direct talks in Geneva on Sunday, a source close to the Iranian team said. The U.S. side and the mediators had planned a handshake and group photograph at the start of the session, but after Iran's delegation declined, the American team posed for the photo without their counterparts. The source said Tehran's position is that the Strait of Hormuz will be reopened only when Israel halts its attacks on Lebanon, indicating that Iran is linking the implementation of regional agreements to an end to the escalation on the Lebanese front. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Western attitudes have shifted recently but reiterated that Tehran will not retreat from its uranium enrichment rights. U.S. President Donald Trump responded that the Iranian president should be careful what he says, warning there would be consequences if that posture continues. The negotiations are being led by U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, with Qatari and Pakistani mediators also taking part. According to Iranian state television, the talks are focused on securing a ceasefire in Lebanon and the release of frozen Iranian assets.