HEADLINES

• The Iran-US deal is "America's declaration of defeat", the head of the Iranian negotiating team, declared. READ MORE BELOW

• The head of the IAEA said inspections at Iranian atomic sites were "going to happen", without offering a timeline. READ MORE BELOW

• Lebanon and Israel are discussing a US-backed proposal for Israeli forces to pull out of some of the territory invaded in the war. READ MORE BELOW

• US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held talks with top United Arab Emirates officials on Wednesday on a Middle East tour, seeking to reassure Gulf allies who view a proposed Iran peace deal as too generous to a state that attacked them in the war.

• Iran's parliamentary speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said that regional countries alone should determine the Middle East's political and security order, rejecting external involvement and calling for expanded intra-regional cooperation.

• Oman said it would keep the Strait of Hormuz open to shipping without imposing any tolls and had designated two temporary routes north and south of the existing shipping lane to facilitate the safe passage of vessels departing the region.

• Airlines should continue to avoid the airspace over Iran, Iraq and Lebanon and remain cautious across the region despite the framework deal between Washington and Tehran, because violations remained possible, the EU aviation safety agency EASA said.

• A Reuters/Ipsos poll found 35% of Americans think the US is now in a weaker position with Iran than before the war, while 23% believe it is in a stronger position.

‘America's declaration of defeat’

The deal between Iran and the United States to end the Middle East war is "America's declaration of defeat", Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the head of the Iranian negotiating team, said on Wednesday.

"The Islamabad understanding was not the result of pressure and coercion, but rather the result of the resistance and authority of the brave Iranian nation," Ghalibaf said, referring to the text finalised through Pakistani mediation.

"That is why, the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding became a declaration of America's defeat," he said, adding that security in the Middle East must be ensured by the countries of the region.

"We consider the withdrawal of foreign military forces from the region a strategic goal" because, "not only do they not create sustainable security but they are also a source of instability", said Ghalibaf, who also serves as his country's parliament speaker.

He was addressing a conference in Azerbaijan's capital Baku on Wednesday, which was broadcast on Iranian television.

Nuclear inspections will happen insists IAEA

The head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog said on Wednesday that inspections at Iranian atomic sites were "going to happen", but did not offer a specific timeline.

His comment came after Tehran and Washington signed a preliminary deal aimed at ending the Middle East war, and which cited the involvement of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in next steps on Tehran's program.

IAEA chief Rafael Grossi told reporters during a visit to Japan that the agreement "explicitly" states "nuclear activities that are going to be carried out with regards to nuclear material facilities will be supervised by the IAEA". 

"Obviously, to do that, we will have to inspect," Grossi said. 

The date and location of the inspection are currently under discussion, with a decision to be made soon "in collaboration and in cooperation with the government of Iran," he said. 

"Whether this happens today after tomorrow or in one week or in 10 days, it's important but not essential. This is going to happen."

Iran said Tuesday that the UN nuclear watchdog would not be allowed to inspect nuclear sites bombed by the United States and Israel last year, rejecting Vice President JD Vance's claim that Tehran had agreed to allow inspectors back in.

But US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Iran has "fully and completely agreed" to allow nuclear inspectors to return to the country, and that US Navy forces would no longer blockade the Strait of Hormuz.

However, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said that Tehran's missile program was not included in its memorandum of understanding with the US and would not be up for negotiation.

Speaking alongside Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad, Pezeshkian said Iran's missile capabilities were essential to the country's defence and ruled out any compromise on the issue. 

Sharif said Pakistan would continue to play its role in promoting peace in the region.

Lebanon and Israel discuss pullout

Lebanon and Israel are discussing a US-backed proposal for Israeli forces to pull out of some of the territory invaded in the war with Hezbollah and hand it to Lebanese army control during talks in Washington, officials on both sides said.

The proposed pilot project is being discussed in the latest round of Israeli-Lebanese talks, which are going ahead even after they appear to have been eclipsed by Iran's move to make Lebanon central to its talks with the United States.

Israeli forces have seized a swathe of southern Lebanon during the war that was ignited when Hezbollah opened fire at Israel in a show of support for Tehran, days after the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran.

A ceasefire has largely held since Sunday, the longest lull in the fighting yet. But Israeli forces are still deployed deep inside southern Lebanon, citing the need to shield northern Israel from Hezbollah attack.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday that Israel would not withdraw from southern Lebanon, even if the US demanded it. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel will remain in Lebanon as long as necessary.