Iranian official says end of war includes end of Israel’s occupation of Lebanon
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran’s top diplomat said Tuesday that the deal ending the war with the United States would also require Israel to withdraw from Lebanon, raising questions about the yet-to-be-published agreement and whether a dispute over its terms could prolong the conflict.
In remarks broadcast on Iranian state television, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told diplomats from other countries that Israel’s invasion of Southern Lebanon would violate the memorandum of understanding reached between the United States and Iran.
“The end of the war in Lebanon is an integral part of the complete end to the war,” Araghchi said. “The war will not be fully over unless Israeli forces withdraw from the lands they occupied during this war.”
Araghchi said that any further Israeli attacks on Lebanon “will be considered from our perspective as a violation of the Memorandum of Understanding.”
The United States did not say whether Lebanon was part of the final agreement. However, Araghchi’s statement contradicts statements made by Israeli officials regarding the US-Israeli agreement to end the war that started with joint air strikes on February 28.
Israel is not a party to the agreement. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday described it as Trump’s decision, stating that Israel had its own priorities and would remain in a buffer zone in Lebanon “as long as necessary.”
The uncertainty reflected developments during past negotiations, including a temporary ceasefire reached in April. This agreement did not pave the way for broader peace or the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz after the United States and Iran announced different frameworks.
The discrepancy highlighted how much of the agreement remained unresolved ahead of the signing ceremony in Geneva on Friday.
The deal is intended to provide a meaningful cease-fire in the months-long war that has killed thousands across the Middle East, including top leaders of the Iranian theocracy, and raised prices of fuel, food and other essential goods far beyond the region.
A senior US official, who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity to discuss the outlines of the agreement on Monday, said the unpublished agreement calls for the “immediate” opening of the strait and lifting of the blockade.
A second senior U.S. official, who discussed the outlines of the deal on condition of anonymity, said the deal also includes the possibility of releasing Iran’s frozen funds, easing sanctions and creating a $300 billion fund to rebuild Iran, all of which would depend on Iran meeting criteria.
__ Price reported from Washington and Metz from Ramallah, West Bank.
