French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday he told the leaders of Iran and the United States that he hoped a ceasefire between them ‌would be respected in Lebanon and across “all areas of confrontation”, as Israeli strikes continued to hit Beirut.

The U.S. and Iran on Tuesday agreed to a two-week ceasefire, but Israel on Wednesday killed more than 250 people in its heaviest strikes on Lebanon since fighting ⁠with Hezbollah broke out last month.

Israel and the U.S. have said Lebanon was not part of the ceasefire with Iran, although Pakistan, a key intermediary in the ceasefire talks, said the truce would include Beirut, Reuters reported.

Iran has told intermediaries that Lebanon must be included in any ceasefire agreement with the U.S. and Israel, Reuters reported citing sources familiar with Iran’s position.

Macron said he spoke to Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian and U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday ‌and ⁠conveyed to them that including Lebanon was “a necessary condition for the ceasefire to be credible and lasting”. He added that any deal between the countries must address concerns raised by Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs, as well as its regional ⁠policy and its actions obstructing navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

Macron also spoke to Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and condemned Israel’s “indiscriminate ⁠strikes”, which he said pose a threat to the sustainability of the ceasefire.

“I reiterated the need to preserve Lebanon’s territorial integrity and France’s ⁠determination to support the efforts of the Lebanese authorities to uphold the country’s sovereignty and implement the Hezbollah disarmament plan,” Macron added on X.

President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that U.S. military ships and aircraft will remain around Iran and threatened that the U.S. will ‌start shooting again unless Tehran fully complies with the two-week ceasefire deal reached with Washington.

“All U.S. Ships, Aircraft, and Military Personnel, with additional Ammunition, Weaponry, and anything else that is appropriate and necessary for the lethal prosecution and destruction of an already substantially degraded Enemy, will remain in place in, and around, Iran, until such time as the REAL AGREEMENT reached is fully complied with. If for any reason it is not, which is highly unlikely, then the “Shootin’ Starts,” bigger, and better, and stronger than anyone has ever seen before. It was agreed, a long time ago, and despite all of the fake rhetoric to the contrary – NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS and, the Strait of Hormuz WILL BE OPEN & SAFE. In the meantime our great Military is Loading Up and Resting, looking forward, actually, to its next Conquest. AMERICA IS BACK,” Trump said on Truth Social.

Negotiations between the U.S. and Iran are expected soon.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has dismissed any suggestion that U.S. President Donald Trump simply accepted all of Iran’s demands by agreeing to the ceasefire.

The Iranians, she said at a press conference, originally put forward a 10-point plan that was “literally thrown in the garbage by President Trump and his negotiating team.”

Many outlets, she said, have reported that initial proposal as being acceptable to the president and those reports are “false.”

As Tuesday’s 8 p.m. deadline neared, the Iranian regime “acknowledged reality” and put forward a “more reasonable and entirely different” plan, she said. The president and his team determined the new, modified plan was workable to negotiate from and align with the White House’s 15-point plan, she said, according to CBS News.

“The president’s red lines, namely the end of Iranian enrichment in Iran, have not changed, and the idea that President Trump would ever accept an Iranian wishlist as a deal is completely absurd,” she said. 

Still, Leavitt didn’t say what 10 points the Iranians presented that the president ultimately accepted as largely reasonable. She simply said Iran has agreed to open the Strait of Hormuz. 

Leavitt said Vice President JD Vance will lead talks with Iran in Islamabad, with the first round of discussions set for Saturday morning local time. 

Special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Mr. Trump’s son-in-law, will also be part of the negotiating team, Leavitt said. 

The situation in Lebanon is relatively calm for now, but remains unpredictable, Shahan Gantaharian, editor-in-chief of the Beirut-based Aztag daily, told Armenpress.

According to Gantaharian, no Armenian casualties or material losses have been reported in Lebanon so far, although the atmosphere remains tense.

He noted that the entire territory of Lebanon was subjected to what he described as unprecedented Israeli bombardment the previous day.

At present, the situation is relatively calm, but it remains unpredictable, he added.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry said the death toll from Israeli strikes across the country on April 8 had risen to 203, with more than 1,000 people injured.

Senior officials from several countries have condemned Israel’s attacks on Lebanon.

The Lebanese government declared April 9 a national day of mourning in memory of those killed in the Israeli airstrikes.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) plans to invest around €5 billion in 2026 in economies affected by the conflict in the Middle East, including Armenia.

According to the bank, Armenia is among the countries not directly involved in the conflict but still exposed to its economic fallout as part of the wider regional chain.

The EBRD said the impact is being felt through disrupted trade routes, energy and commodity shocks, weaker investor confidence, and rising socio-economic pressure.

The bank said its conflict response programme will include support for financial institutions, measures to strengthen private-sector resilience, and investment in infrastructure — areas from which Armenia could also benefit.

EBRD President Odile Renaud-Basso said the bank is prepared to deepen its engagement in countries facing this kind of pressure.

“In a context of growing uncertainty, we are increasing our engagement while maintaining sound banking principles. We are here to support the economies, clients and people of our partner countries in difficult times,” she said.

Under the programme, the EBRD also plans to strengthen energy security, support businesses facing market volatility, and invest in infrastructure and digital solutions.

The bank said its support will also focus on preserving jobs, expanding access to finance, and protecting vulnerable groups.

It added that the scale of investment will remain demand-driven, given the fast-changing nature of the situation.

The EBRD said it will implement the programme in cooperation with international partners to help support economic resilience and sustainable development.

Armenian Ambassador to France Arman Khachatryan met with Éléonore Caroit, the Minister Delegate to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, responsible for Francophonie, International Partnerships, and French Nationals Abroad.

The Armenian Ambassador also serves as the Armenian Prime Minister’s Personal Representative on the Permanent Council of La Francophonie (OIF).

The Ambassador and the French official discussed the Armenia–France agenda, as well as the active cooperation established between Armenia and France within international organizations, particularly in the framework of La Francophonie, the embassy reported. 

The Ambassador presented the progress of preparations for the 10th La Francophonie Games (Jeux de la Francophonie), to be held in Armenia in 2027, reaffirming Armenia’s commitment to hosting the event at a high level. Both sides emphasized the importance of the Jeux de la Francophonie as a significant event contributing to the promotion of Francophone culture and values, as well as the development of the French language.

Views were exchanged on the preparatory work and possible cooperation ahead of the 17th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17), to be held in Armenia this year. Ambassador Khachatryan presented Armenia’s vision for organizing the conference, aimed at ensuring the full and meaningful participation of all stakeholders in discussions related to biodiversity.

Ambassador Khachatryan also presented the peace established between Armenia and Azerbaijan, highlighting the importance of its further consolidation.

Armenia will acquire a road scanning device that will use AI to determine what types of repairs are needed on the roads.

Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Davit Khudatyan announced the plans during the Cabinet meeting on Thursday.

“We have already discussed the acquisition of a road scanning device. The cost of this equipment is approximately 500–600 million drams [$1.3 – $1.6 million USD]. It will allow us to fully scan the roads and, combined with artificial intelligence, determine what type of repairs are required. The device will pass over the road and advise us whether medium repairs or full reconstruction are needed, how deep the work should be, and so on,” Khudatyan explained.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Thursday that he agreed with Russian President Vladimir Putin during their April 1 meeting in Moscow to hold another meeting in the “second half of June.”

“As I have said, I consider that visit very successful. Regarding the face-to-face meeting, we have already agreed on our upcoming meetings and events. We have agreed on a high-level meeting for the second half of June,” the Prime Minister said.

He added that the Armenia-Russia relationship is now in a phase of “constructive transformation.”

“I evaluate this process positively, and we will continue to uphold our principles consistently. We will not deviate from the logic of friendly dialogue and will continue along this path,” the Prime Minister said.

Pashinyan also addressed observations regarding aligning the policies of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and the European Union:

“As long as there is an opportunity to align the policies we pursue toward the EAEU and the EU, we will align those policies. When the moment of incompatibility comes, we will make decisions together with the people,” he said.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Thursday reiterated why he and his Civil Contract party insist that, if certain opposition forces come to power, it could imminently lead to a new war.

Asked to explain his warnings at a press briefing, Pashinyan appeared to be referring to former President Robert Kocharyan’s recent remarks.

Kocharyan’s alliance intends to run in the upcoming general elections.

“If a political force says that Armenia should not be satisfied with 29,743 square kilometers, that inevitably leads to war; there’s not much room for debate on that,” the Prime Minister said.

Earlier, Armenia’s second President and leader of the opposition Hayastan (Armenia) bloc, Robert Kocharyan, stated that Armenia is a country with a large diaspora and should not be limited to its 29,743 square kilometers of territory.