The US-Iran peace deal is facing its first major test after Israel refused to comply with the terms that include Lebanon as part of the agreement between the two sides. Israel’s rejection of the Memorandum of Understanding poses a real threat to peace and stability in the region, Iran’s deputy foreign minister said on Saturday.
He said Tehran is “ready to move forward” on diplomacy with Washington, but the United States must ensure that Israel abides by the terms of the deal to end the war.
This comes despite statements from US officials claiming that Israel and Hezbollah had agreed to a ceasefire.
Fresh Israeli air strikes on southern Lebanon have undermined those claims. Southern Lebanon has turned into a battleground between Israeli forces and Hezbollah, with Israeli strikes targeting civilian areas and Hezbollah carrying out ambushes on advancing troops from the Litani River.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to cease all attacks on Lebanon, a stance echoed by Vice President JD Vance on Friday.
Vance, originally slated to sign the peace memorandum with Iran in Switzerland, cancelled the trip to spearhead a new round of negotiations.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the US has a “commitment and responsibility” to end the war on all fronts, including Lebanon, as stipulated in the deal.
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