Israel backs Trump's two-week pause on Iran strikes, says Lebanon excluded

Israel has supported US President Donald Trump's decision to suspend strikes against Iran for two weeks, but said the ceasefire does not include Lebanon, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said on Wednesday.

The office said Israel backed the US move, provided Tehran immediately opens the straits and stops attacks against the United States, Israel, and countries in the region.

The remarks came after Washington announced a two-week suspension of strikes against Iran as part of efforts to de-escalate the conflict and open a window for negotiations.

Israel also said it supports US efforts to ensure Iran no longer poses a nuclear, missile, or "terror" threat to the US, Israel, and Iran's Arab neighbours, adding that Washington had told Israel it was committed to achieving their shared goals in upcoming negotiations.

Iran said on Wednesday that negotiations with the US would begin on Friday, April 10, in Islamabad.