Vice President JD Vance is heading to Pakistan, where he’s set to meet Iranian officials in a bid to end the nearly six-week U.S.-Israel war with Iran. The demands are steep, trust is thin, and President Trump said he’s unsure he’ll support further talks after this round. In Lebanon, residents are still digging out from this week’s Israeli strikes. Liz Landers reports.

Vance heads to Pakistan for talks with Iran to end war

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Geoff Bennett:

Vice President J.D. Vance is heading to Pakistan, where he's set to meet Iranian officials this weekend in a bid to end the nearly six-week U.S.-Israel war with Iran. The demands are steep, trust is thin, and President Trump said today he's unsure if he will support further talks after this round.

Meantime, in Lebanon, residents are still digging out from this week's Israeli strikes. Liz Landers starts our coverage.

Liz Landers:

Today in Lebanon, pain and grief, as mourners gather to share memories and bid a final farewell to loved ones following Israel's deadliest wave of strikes since the start of war, devastating buildings and leaving more than 300 dead.

Omar Amouri, Beirut, Lebanon, Resident (through interpreter):

The loss of people can never be replaced. But as for the stones and buildings, God can compensate for that. What can we do? We want to live, not continue in this situation.

Liz Landers:

It's compounding an already desperate humanitarian situation. According to the World Food Program, the conflict has displaced over one million people.

And even before the Iran war, more than 800,000 people in Lebanon faced acute food insecurity, causing aid teams to scramble on the ground and provide food to families like this one. That suffering is dividing Lebanon's people on the merits of planned peace talks with Israel next week.

Iyad Al-Kilani, Beirut, Lebanon, Resident (through interpreter):

Negotiation is the only way to peace and for people to live. People are all displaced living on the streets. People aren't living.

Jamil Fawwaz, Displaced Lebanese (through interpreter):

If you want to conduct negotiations under war, as Israel wants to operate under fire, we do not accept, and we will remain steadfast.

(Sirens Blaring)

Liz Landers:

Meantime, in Israel, sirens blared after Iran-backed Hezbollah fired a barrage of missiles, one of which damaged this church complex. The IDF says it struck 10 Hezbollah launchers inside Lebanon.

But before the Israel-Lebanon talks, another major test of diplomacy. U.S. and Iranian officials are gearing up for high-stakes negotiations this weekend aimed at making a cease-fire permanent.

Earlier this week, President Trump escalated his rhetoric with a startling threat to wipe out Iran's civilization. But he quickly reversed course after a shaky two-week truce was reached. The president relayed his expectations to reporters this afternoon.

Question:

What would a good deal look like for you?

President Donald Trump:

No nuclear weapon, number one. I think it's already been regime change, but we never had that as a -- as a criteria. No nuclear weapon.

Liz Landers:

The talks, to be held in Pakistan, are the most senior-level negotiations between the U.S. and Iran since the Islamic Revolution in 1979.

The U.S. is sending members of Trump's innermost circle, special envoy Steve Witkoff Steve Witkoff and the president's son-in-law Jared Kushner...

Vice President J.D. Vances:

We're looking forward to the negotiation.

Liz Landers:

... and Vice President J.D. Vance, who gave the Iranians a warning as he boarded his plane to Islamabad early today.

J.D. Vance:

If the Iranians are willing to negotiate in good faith, we're certainly willing to extend the open hand. If they're going to try to play us, then they're going to find that the negotiating team is not that receptive.

Liz Landers:

Leading the Iranian side, the Speaker of Iran's parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. He warned, tomorrow's negotiations could be called off unless two outstanding agreements from the temporary truce are implemented, a cease-fire in Lebanon and the release of Iran's blocked assets.

Those conditions were echoed by Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Foreign Ministry. Meantime, the U.S. has made demands of its own, namely, for Iran to end its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, as agreed upon. Marine traffic data from today shows hundreds of vessels crowding the Gulf, yet only a handful selected by Iran trickling through the narrow, but critical maritime passageway.

On TRUTH Social today, President Trump said Iran has -- quote -- "no cards, other than a short-term extortion of the world by using international waterways."

And, last night, he acknowledged reports that Iran is charging tankers to pass through, $2 million in Bitcoin per ship, as Iran has publicly claimed -- quote -- "They better not be," the president wrote. "And if they are, they better stop now."

Iran, meanwhile, doubled down.

Ebrahim Azizi, Iranian Parliament National Security Commission (through interpreter):

The Strait of Hormuz will not return to the prewar control system. All movements, traffic, comings and goings in the Strait of Hormuz are under strict, precise and calculated control of our armed forces.

Liz Landers:

Meanwhile, the world is watching. Today, Pope Leo warning that -- quote -- "God does not bless any conflict," instead urging parties towards dialogue to reach peace.

For the "PBS News Hour," I'm Liz Landers.