New Delhi: Iran has declared that any future peace agreement with the United States will depend on Israel completely halting its military operations in Lebanon, signalling a tougher diplomatic position as efforts to ease regional tensions continue.
Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said Iran’s foremost condition for any agreement with Washington is the preservation of Lebanon’s territorial integrity and the immediate, unconditional end to Israeli military action. In a statement shared on social media, he described the conflict as an imposed war and stressed that Tehran would not support any settlement unless Israeli attacks in Lebanon cease entirely.
Khamenei also reiterated Iran’s unwavering backing for Hezbollah, paying tribute to its former leader Hassan Nasrallah and expressing support for residents of southern Lebanon, where much of the fighting has been concentrated. He said defending Hezbollah remained a strategic responsibility for the Islamic Republic.
The remarks come despite a pause in direct military confrontation between Iran and the United States and renewed diplomatic engagement following a memorandum of understanding signed in June. However, negotiations later stalled after disagreements over issues related to the Strait of Hormuz.
Reports indicate that Iran had already made Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanese territory and the end of its military campaign there a central demand during earlier discussions with Washington.
Lebanon became directly involved in the wider regional conflict after Hezbollah launched attacks on northern Israel in March. The group said its actions were in response to the killing of Iran’s former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei during the opening phase of the US and Israel conflict with Iran, as well as continued Israeli strikes inside Lebanon that it claimed violated an earlier ceasefire.
Although Lebanon and Israel later agreed to a United States mediated framework for a phased Israeli withdrawal, no timeline was established. The proposal linked Israel’s withdrawal to Hezbollah surrendering its weapons, a condition firmly rejected by both Hezbollah and Iran.
Lebanese authorities have accused Israeli forces of delaying the agreement by refusing to withdraw from designated areas while continuing military operations in southern Lebanon. The conflict has caused heavy casualties on both sides, with thousands killed in Lebanon and dozens of Israeli soldiers and civilians losing their lives. United Nations peacekeepers have also reported repeated violations of previous ceasefire arrangements.
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