{"text":[[{"start":11.2,"text":"Donald Trump said Israel and Hizbollah had agreed “the shooting will stop”, after Iran suspended its peace talks with the US in response to the Israeli bombardment of Lebanon."}],[{"start":22.45,"text":"The US president wrote on Truth Social on Monday that he had held a “productive call” with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and another call with “highly placed Representatives” of Hizbollah, the Lebanese militant group."}],[{"start":36.55,"text":"Trump said “there will be no [Israeli] troops going to Beirut, and any Troops that are on their way have already been turned back”. Hizbollah had “agreed that all shooting will stop — That Israel will not attack them, and they will not attack Israel”, he added."}],[{"start":52.199999999999996,"text":"He followed up with another post on Monday saying talks with Iran were “continuing, at a rapid pace”."}],[{"start":58.849999999999994,"text":"He later told ABC News that he thought he would have an agreement with Tehran to extend the ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz “over the next week”."}],[{"start":69.14999999999999,"text":"The US leader’s comments came just hours after Iranian news agencies affiliated to the state said Tehran was suspending back-channel negotiations with the US, warning that it could “complete the closure” of the strait, sending oil prices sharply higher."}],[{"start":85.05,"text":"Iran had made the decision in response to Israel’s expanded bombing campaign against Hizbollah in Lebanon and “ceasefire violations” on all fronts, said Tasnim, a news agency affiliated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guards."}],[{"start":98.39999999999999,"text":"Oil eased from its session highs following Trump’s comments, with Brent crude settling 4.2 per cent higher at $94.98 a barrel."}],[{"start":108.14999999999999,"text":"Tehran’s suspension of the talks came hours after the Revolutionary Guards said its forces had attacked a US base in Kuwait in retaliation for American strikes against targets in southern Iran. "}],[{"start":120.24999999999999,"text":"It was the latest exchange of fire between US and Iranian forces that has underscored the fragility of an April 8 ceasefire and strained diplomatic efforts to broker a deal to extend the truce by 60 days and reopen the strait. "}],[{"start":135.89999999999998,"text":"US officials last week said the warring parties were closing in on a framework agreement but added that Trump needed to sign off on it. The president on Friday said he intended to make a “final determination” about a preliminary agreement but a White House meeting concluded without any formal announcement. "}],[{"start":154.79999999999998,"text":"The US then amended language in the draft proposal relating to the reopening of the strait and Iran’s nuclear programme, a person briefed on the talks said. "}],[{"start":163.64999999999998,"text":"Over the weekend the US military had struck what it said were Iranian “radar and command and control sites for drones” in Goruk and Qeshm Island. "}],[{"start":173.39999999999998,"text":"The US military’s Central Command said the strikes were in response to Iranian activities that included shooting down a drone “operating over international waters”. "}],[{"start":183.14999999999998,"text":"The rising tensions between Tehran and Washington come as Israel, which launched the war against the Islamic republic alongside the US on February 28, continued to intensify an offensive against the Iran-backed militant movement."}],[{"start":197.95,"text":"Netanyahu and defence minister Israel Katz on Monday said they had ordered the Israel Defense Forces to carry out attacks on the southern suburbs of Lebanon’s capital Beirut. "}],[{"start":209.04999999999998,"text":"Later, Netanyahu said: “I spoke with President Trump this evening and told him that if Hizbollah does not stop attacking our cities and citizens, Israel will attack terror targets in Beirut.”"}],[{"start":220.1,"text":"He added: “Our position remains the same. At the same time, the IDF will continue to operate as planned in southern Lebanon.”"}],[{"start":227.45,"text":"Meanwhile, Hizbollah MP Hassan Fadlallah said: “Hizbollah’s position is clear and calls for a comprehensive ceasefire across Lebanese territory,” in comments reported by al-Manar, the group’s news channel."}],[{"start":241.35,"text":"The Revolutionary Guards’ Intelligence Organisation wrote on X that Iran would interpret any “crossing of red lines in Lebanon and Gaza as tantamount to direct war”."}],[{"start":251.95,"text":"Foreign minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on X that the ceasefire between Tehran and Washington was “unequivocally a ceasefire on all fronts, including in Lebanon”."}],[{"start":262.75,"text":"Israel and Hizbollah have continued to trade fire since a ceasefire between those parties was announced on April 16."}],[{"start":270.6,"text":"Iran insists the Israel-Hizbollah conflict should be part of any ceasefire deal with the US."}],[{"start":277.5,"text":"Tehran’s lead negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said the US naval blockade of the strait and escalating Israeli attacks in Lebanon were “clear evidence of US non-compliance with the ceasefire”."}],[{"start":290.35,"text":"“Every choice has a price, and the bill comes due. It will all fall into place,” Ghalibaf said. "}],[{"start":297.1,"text":"In a sign that the Islamic republic could be seeking to escalate the conflict, Tasnim said: “The resistance front and Iran have placed on their agenda the complete closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the activation of other fronts, including the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, with the aim of punishing the Zionists and their supporters.”"}],[{"start":317.45000000000005,"text":"The Bab el-Mandeb is a vital waterway that connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. By referring to the “resistance front” Tasnim appeared to be suggesting Houthi rebels in Yemen could join the conflict."}],[{"start":330.90000000000003,"text":"The Houthis, who control much of northern Yemen and are part of Iran’s so-called axis of resistance, have largely stayed out of the war. But they did fire several barrages of missiles and drones at Israel in late March and early April. "}],[{"start":344.95000000000005,"text":"Iran’s ability to slow the flow to a trickle of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of the world’s oil and gas normally passes, has triggered the worst global energy crisis in decades. "}],[{"start":357.75000000000006,"text":"Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform earlier on Monday that “Iran really wants to make a deal, and it will be a good one for the U.S.A. and those that are with us”. He added: “Just sit back and relax, it will all work out well in the end — It always does!” "}],[{"start":373.80000000000007,"text":"Additional reporting by Bita Ghaffari, James Shotter and Malaika Tapper"}],[{"start":386.30000000000007,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1780361626_3362.mp3"}