Trump says Israel and Lebanon to begin 10-day ceasefire within hours
Summary
US President Donald Trump says the Israeli and Lebanese leaders have agreed to a 10-day ceasefire, beginning at 17:00 EST (22:00 BST)
Lebanon's Prime Minister Joseph Aoun has welcomed the agreement, while Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu says it presents a "historic" opportunity for peace
Trump says Iran-backed Hezbollah - which has been fighting with Israel in Lebanon - is included in the ceasefire
Netanyahu says Israeli troops will remain in a 10km-deep (6.2 mile) "security zone" in southern Lebanon - which goes against Hezbollah's demand for them to withdraw
For Trump, a ceasefire in Lebanon removes a major hurdle to the broader peace talks with Iran, writes our North America editor
Trump says Iran has agreed not to have nuclear weapons
BreakingDonald Trump says that Iran has agreed to not have nuclear weapons for more than 20 years.
"It's looking very good that we're going to make a deal with Iran and it's going to be a good deal, it's going to be a deal with no nuclear weapons...
"We have a very powerful statement, beyond 20 years, that they will not have nuclear weapons," he says. "Let's be honest, there's no 20 year limit."
We have not heard an immediate official response from Iran.
US and Iran very close to a deal, Trump says
ReutersSpeaking to reporters outside the White House, Trump says that the US and Iran are very close to a deal, with Tehran agreeing to nearly all of the US's demands.
He adds that Iran is willing to "do things" today that they previously were not.
We'll bring you more from the US president shortly.
Chance for 'historic' agreement, says Netanyahu - but troops to remain in parts of southern LebanonBreaking
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says a ceasefire with Lebanon is an “opportunity to make a historic peace agreement”.
He says the disarmament of Hezbollah is one of the fundamental demands Israel will have in further talks with the Lebanese government.
Israeli troops will remain in southern Lebanon, he says, in a 10km-deep (6.2 mile) “security zone”, adding “we are there, and we are not leaving”.
He says this will allow Israeli forces to “block the danger of invasion” and prevent fire into Israeli communities across the border.
However, he says “there are still problems”, such as the missiles Hezbollah still possesses, which he says “will have to be dealt with” as part of the agreement.
He adds that US President Trump has told him that he is determined to dismantle “whatever is left” of Iran’s nuclear capability.
Trump says Iran has agreed not to have nuclear weapons
BreakingDonald Trump says that Iran has agreed to not have nuclear weapons for more than 20 years.
"It's looking very good that we're going to make a deal with Iran and it's going to be a good deal, it's going to be a deal with no nuclear weapons...
"We have a very powerful statement, beyond 20 years, that they will not have nuclear weapons," he says. "Let's be honest, there's no 20 year limit."
We have not heard an immediate official response from Iran.
US and Iran very close to a deal, Trump says
ReutersSpeaking to reporters outside the White House, Trump says that the US and Iran are very close to a deal, with Tehran agreeing to nearly all of the US's demands.
He adds that Iran is willing to "do things" today that they previously were not.
We'll bring you more from the US president shortly.
Chance for 'historic' agreement, says Netanyahu - but troops to remain in parts of southern Lebanon
BreakingGetty ImagesIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says a ceasefire with Lebanon is an “opportunity to make a historic peace agreement”.
He says the disarmament of Hezbollah is one of the fundamental demands Israel will have in further talks with the Lebanese government.
Israeli troops will remain in southern Lebanon, he says, in a 10km-deep (6.2 mile) “security zone”, adding “we are there, and we are not leaving”.
He says this will allow Israeli forces to “block the danger of invasion” and prevent fire into Israeli communities across the border.
However, he says “there are still problems”, such as the missiles Hezbollah still possesses, which he says “will have to be dealt with” as part of the agreement.
He adds that US President Trump has told him that he is determined to dismantle “whatever is left” of Iran’s nuclear capability.
Police in Pakistan already preparing for unconfirmed US-Iran talks
Caroline Davis
Pakistan correspondentMeanwhile, police in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad are already preparing for a visit by foreign delegations, although as yet no second round of talks has been confirmed.
The city’s traffic police have announced that they will close all transport terminals in the city and neighbouring Rawalpindi for 10 days from 23:00 tonight until 26 April.
Public transport from Rawalpindi and Islamabad to other districts will remain suspended. Islamabad Traffic Police have also banned heavy traffic from entering Islamabad from 18 April.
Earlier today, Pakistan’s foreign ministry said they had no official announcement on a second round of talks.
For Trump, a ceasefire in Lebanon ties into broader talks with Iran
Sarah Smith
North America editor, in WashingtonThe fragile ceasefire between the US and Iran was being imperilled by the ongoing Israeli attacks on Lebanon. So it was important to President Trump to broker a ceasefire between these two nations before the fighting derailed his own efforts to secure a deal with Iran
The announcement, which Trump said he hoped would achieve a lasting peace, came hours after US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth was urging Iran to choose its next steps wisely.
There is less than a week left before the agreed pause in the fighting between Iran and the US runs out.
President Trump has said that he thinks his war with Iran is close to being over and that he is confident a deal can be agreed - without offering any evidence for his upbeat assessment.
A ceasefire in Lebanon offers some good news for him to celebrate and removes a major hurdle to the broader peace talks with Iran.
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