JERUSALEM (VINnews) — The Arab affairs correspondent for I24NEWS, Zvi Yehezkeli, published a sharp criticism on his Facebook account of the U.S. administration following the meeting between Iran, the United States, Qatar, and Pakistan regarding a comprehensive ceasefire in Lebanon and the issue of frozen Iranian assets abroad, which began yesterday (Sunday) in Geneva, Switzerland. According to him, the image that emerged from the negotiating room conveys one clear message: surrender to Iran.
He explained his view by referring to a specific image from the news coverage:
“If you want to see surrender in a single picture, look at this image. The Iranian flag in the background, a de facto American recognition of the Islamic Revolution and the regime that for decades has threatened the stability of the region and the world.”
He continued:“Arab leaders have compared it to Nazism. The Saudi Crown Prince described Khamenei as ‘the Hitler of our time.’ This is the same regime that brutally crushed its citizens’ protests and paid for it with the blood of thousands of young people who dreamed of freedom and democracy.”
Yehezkeli then criticized the American conduct reflected in the room: “Witkoff and Kushner stand in front of the Iranian flag, smiling for the cameras. One can debate the reasons that brought the Americans to this moment. There are many explanations, some strategic and some political. But there is one word that emerges from the entire picture, from every detail of it: surrender. And the most troubling significance is not the picture itself, but the strategic damage that may grow from it in the coming years.”
As previously reported, the historic talks between Iran, the United States, Qatar, and Pakistan on a comprehensive ceasefire in Lebanon and frozen Iranian assets abroad began yesterday in Geneva, Switzerland. Participants included J. D. Vance, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Qatari Prime Minister Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
At the opening of the summit, Vance said:
“This is a historic meeting. Never before, except for contacts held in Islamabad in recent months, have American and Iranian leaders met at such a high level. What the President has asked us to do is open a new chapter, change our relationship with the Iranian people, and extend a hand to the people of Iran.”
Pakistani leader Sharif added:
“I believe we will have excellent discussions here, which will hopefully lead to fruitful and very meaningful results in the future. I thank President Trump for his visionary and highly dynamic leadership that made this meeting possible.”
At the same time, U.S. President Donald Trump told Fox News:
“I hold all the cards and I have several options if the Iranians do not seriously commit during the negotiations. I told Iranian officials that if Iran closes the Strait of Hormuz, they will not have a country.”
Following Trump’s remarks, the Iranian delegation reportedly submitted a formal reservation through mediators, claiming they were “considering their options.” According to Reuters, Iranian officials viewed Trump’s comments as potentially violating Clause 1 of the memorandum of understanding and said they were evaluating their next steps.
Shortly afterward, Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf responded:
“Do they not understand that if their threats were effective, they would not have reached today’s state of desperation? We do not take American threats seriously. They would do better to be careful about their statements. Our armed forces are prepared to respond to them in a different manner. They may keep talking, it is we who act.”