MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:
The ceasefire agreement between the U.S., Israel and Iran expires tomorrow. President Trump told CNBC this morning that he does not want to extend the ceasefire.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Well, I don't want to do that. We don't have that much time because by the time both parties get there, you know, they just got the OK to go forward, which I knew they were going to do anyway.
LEILA FADEL, HOST:
That's as the status of further peace talks to extend that agreement remain unclear. And in Lebanon, a different temporary ceasefire agreement to pause the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah is in place. But people there are watching what happens between the U.S. and Iran.
MARTIN: For more on all that, we're joined by NPR's Kat Lonsdorf, who is in southern Lebanon. Kat, welcome. Thanks for joining us.
KAT LONSDORF, BYLINE: Hey. Good morning.
MARTIN: So let's start with the possible peace talks between the U.S. and Iran. Where do those stand right now?
LONSDORF: Yeah. President Trump has said that he is sending a delegation to Islamabad in Pakistan, where those talks are supposed to happen. But as of now, Iran has not confirmed that it will be participating. Yesterday, Trump said that a ceasefire extension between the U.S. and Israel and Iran is, quote, "highly unlikely," but also said that he's not under pressure to make a deal and that one with Iran will happen, quote, "very quickly." Meanwhile, Iran's parliamentary speaker said Tehran is, quote, "prepared to reveal new cards on the battlefield."
MARTIN: And this is all happening as the Strait of Hormuz is still closed to most commercial vessels.
LONSDORF: Yeah. Basically, the U.S. is blocking the transit of Iranian cargo ships in international waters around Iran as Iran is blocking most ships from passing through the strait. Neither seems to be budging on those positions, even as they try to work out these potential peace talks. And this is all happening as the ceasefire is set to run out tomorrow, like you said, Michel. And I'm here in Lebanon, where this is all being watched very closely.
MARTIN: Right. A ceasefire in Lebanon has been a main demand from Iran in the past. There is one now, but how dependent is that on what happens between the U.S. and Iran?
LONSDORF: Yeah. That ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah here in Lebanon is intertwined in many ways with what's happening between the U.S. and Iran. It came about after Iran demanded one to be in place in order to continue any peace talks with the U.S. Hezbollah is backed by Iran and largely answers to the state. The sense here from many people, though, is that if talks fall apart between the U.S. and Iran, that will almost certainly mean that this ceasefire falls apart, too.
MARTIN: Kat, and as you told us, you're in the south of Lebanon, where much of the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah has happened. With the ceasefire in place, it's the first time anybody can travel relatively safely down south, where you are, in weeks. What are you seeing and hearing there?
LONSDORF: Yeah. I'm in Tyre, which is a city on the Mediterranean. It's about 12 miles from Israel's northern border. Everywhere you go, there are signs of destruction from Israeli airstrikes or drone strikes, whole buildings crumpled to the ground. Just because there's a ceasefire, that doesn't mean that life can return to normal for a lot of people here. Israel is still occupying a huge swath of land further south from here, all along the border to keep Hezbollah from attacking Israel.
Many of the more than 1 million people who are displaced in this war can't go home. I talked to 50-year-old Zainab Mahdi (ph), who is still living in a school set up for displaced people. She's from one of the towns that Israel is now occupying. She can't go home. But even if she could, she said she's heard her house has been demolished and that most of the town is gone as well.
ZAINAB MAHDI: (Non-English language spoken).
LONSDORF: "I feel a lot of anger, a lot of sadness, but also fear," she told me. "Fear because who knows how long it will be until we can go back? Will it be us or our children who are able to go?" That seems to be one of the big questions here. Even if this ceasefire extends, how long will Israel stay occupying the land? Last time Israel occupied southern Lebanon, it did so for nearly two decades. Israel has said it's prepared to stay for months or even years.
MARTIN: That is NPR's Kat Lonsdorf in southern Lebanon. Kat, thank you so much.
LONSDORF: Thank you. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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