Iran's top diplomat on Tuesday said the proposed agreement to end the conflict with the United States would require Israel to withdraw from Lebanon. However, Israel has already rejected that demand, raising fresh doubts about the future of the deal.
The agreement between the US and Iran has not yet been made public. Officials from different sides have offered varying interpretations of its contents.
Although Israel is not a formal party to the deal, it remains deeply involved in the conflict after joining US strikes against Iran on February 28 and continuing military operations against the Iran-backed Hezbollah group in Lebanon.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Israel's continued military presence in southern Lebanon would be inconsistent with the spirit of the agreement. He said the conflict cannot be considered fully over as long as Israeli forces remain in areas captured during the war.
“Without the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the territories they occupied during this war, the war has not fully come to an end,” Araghchi said.
A US official, speaking anonymously, said the proposed agreement does not require Israel to leave Lebanon. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also reiterated on Monday that Israeli troops would stay in the country for as long as necessary.
Differences over the interpretation of the deal have complicated negotiations in the past. While temporary ceasefires have been reached, they have not developed into a permanent end to the conflict. The ongoing tensions have also contributed to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global energy shipments.
Lebanon emerges as a major test for the agreement
Pakistan, which has played a mediating role, has said the proposed deal includes a halt to military operations, including those in Lebanon, a demand long made by Iran. Araghchi's latest remarks, however, have added another layer of complexity.
His comments place Israel in a difficult position. The country wants to weaken Hezbollah and maintain its deterrence capability, but it also does not want to undermine an agreement strongly backed by the United States.
Israel launched its operation in southern Lebanon after Hezbollah fired missiles across the border during the early days of the conflict. Since then, Israeli forces have expanded their presence in the area and carried out strikes deep inside Beirut.
Although Hezbollah's military strength has been reduced, the group still retains the ability to launch attacks against Israel. This has raised questions about how successful Israel's campaign has been.
The situation has also exposed differences between Israeli leaders and US President Donald Trump. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Trump said he was unhappy with how Israel had handled the situation in Lebanon and its conflict with Hezbollah.
“It just goes on forever,” he said of Israel's strategy. Israeli strikes in Lebanon have killed nearly 4,000 people, including hundreds of civilians, and displaced more than 1 million. And when that happens, it throws a negative light on the big deal. And that's the deal with Iran,” he added. Trump also said he would be open to having the agreement reviewed by the US Congress.
Speaking on the sidelines of the G7 summit in the French Alps, he said he welcomed the idea of sending the deal to Congress for consideration. Some Republican lawmakers have called for more details about the agreement and have questioned whether it would effectively prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.
At the same time, Israel and the Lebanese government have been holding separate US-mediated talks. Hezbollah has not been involved in those discussions.
While several ceasefires have been announced through these negotiations, many have not been fully implemented on the ground.
Lebanese officials initially tried to keep their country separate from the broader US-Iran negotiations. However, they later welcomed reports that the proposed agreement would also include a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Araghchi's remarks appear to align with the understanding of two regional officials familiar with the talks. They said the agreement would require Israel to withdraw from most of the territory it currently occupies in Lebanon, except for a few strategic hilltop positions near the border.
The officials also said Iran pushed for Lebanon's inclusion in the agreement during the final stages of negotiations.
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