Levant in April 2026: the most important developments in politics
In April 2026, the politics of the Levant centred on Lebanon and the first direct talks between Lebanon and Israel in decades. On 8 April Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the US-Iran ceasefire did not cover Israel's conflict with Hezbollah, while Pakistan said it extended everywhere, including Lebanon, and Iran threatened to suspend the truce. On 9 April Israel announced plans for direct talks with Lebanon on the disarmament of Hezbollah while continuing operations. The United States hosted the talks in Washington on 14 April, the first direct talks between the two countries since 1993. Hezbollah said it would not abide by any agreement from them. On 16 April President Donald Trump announced a 10-day ceasefire, which took effect on 17 April. After a second round of talks on 23 April, a three-week extension was announced. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Lebanon alone would lead the negotiations, while Hezbollah's leader rejected the direct talks and set five conditions, including a full Israeli withdrawal. Reports described a tense call between Trump and Netanyahu, and Trump's remarks on Israeli bombing in Lebanon surprised Netanyahu.
European governments pressed Israel. Italy suspended its defence agreement with Israel, France's President Macron said France was ready to help Lebanon prepare its negotiations, and Germany's Friedrich Merz urged Netanyahu to end the fighting. Indonesia and other countries condemned attacks on UN peacekeepers in Lebanon.
Around the war with Iran, US and Iranian teams held direct talks in Pakistan on 11 April, with Iran demanding a Lebanon ceasefire. Iran then demanded reparations from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Jordan and Qatar. Jordan's King Abdullah said any US-Iran deal must guarantee the security of Arab countries.
In Syria, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Damascus on 5 April, and the two countries agreed to cooperate on security and reopen diplomatic missions. President Ahmed al-Sharaa said Syria would stay outside the Iran conflict. The EU moved to restore relations with Syria, and on 26 April a Syrian court began trials of ousted President Bashar al-Assad and his allies in absentia.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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