DUBAI, U.A.E.: U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance departed Washington, D.C., for Pakistan on Friday to meet Iranian negotiators, as Washington prepared for high-level talks on the terms of the ceasefire.

Significant challenges remain that could derail both the fragile ceasefire and efforts to secure a broader, long-term agreement to end the war.

The visit comes even as Israel and Hezbollah continued exchanging fire, and Tehran maintains its tight grip on the Strait of Hormuz.

Before leaving, Vance said he believes talks with Iran will be "positive." But he also warned, "If they try to play us, then they will find that the negotiating team is not very receptive."

Iran's semiofficial Tasnim news agency, which is close to the Revolutionary Guard, said that the talks planned for Saturday would not happen unless Israel stops its attacks in Lebanon.

At the same time, U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran was "doing a very poor job" because it was not allowing ships to move freely through the strait, where about 20 percent of the world's oil trade used to pass.

Meanwhile, talks between Israel and Lebanon are expected to start next week in Washington, according to a U.S. official and another person familiar with the plans, who spoke anonymously because the issue is sensitive.

Israel's position that the ceasefire with Iran does not include stopping its fight with Hezbollah has created a risk that the deal could fail. Hezbollah only joined the war to support Iran.

On the day the ceasefire was announced, Israel carried out heavy airstrikes in Beirut, killing more than 254 people, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry. It was the deadliest day in the country since the war began on February 28.

Trump said he had asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reduce the attacks. Early on Friday, Israel's military said it had struck about 10 launchers in Lebanon that had fired rockets toward northern Israel the day before.

Netanyahu said he had approved talks with Lebanon "as soon as possible" with the goal of disarming Hezbollah fighters and building relations between the two sides, which have officially been at war since Israel was created in 1948.

The Lebanese government had not responded by Friday evening. Axios first reported the details about the timing and location of the talks.

In his first statement since Israel announced direct talks with Lebanon, Hezbollah leader Naim Kassem told Lebanese officials not to make "free concessions," but he did not clearly say whether he supports or opposes the talks.

In another development, the Israeli Prime Minister is reported to have expelled Spain from the Gaza ceasefire HQ center in Kiryat Gat after Spain condemned the strikes in Lebanon. He accused Spain of maligning Israeli soldiers.

(File photo).