Iran pressures US over ceasefire in Lebanon
Elizabeth Melimopoulos
Iran says it is ready for dialogue with the US but demands Washington ensure Israel complies with a ceasefire covering Lebanon. Experts warn that linking Lebanon to broader Iran-US talks may backfire, as both conflicts involve uncontrollable actors.
Iran has declared its readiness to pursue diplomacy with the United States, but stressed that Washington must guarantee Israel's compliance with an agreement to end hostilities. Tehran has repeatedly insisted that any such accord requires a cessation of all hostile actions across the region, including in Lebanon.
The statement comes as a US official told Reuters that Israel and Hezbollah had agreed to a ceasefire in Lebanon, despite reports of ongoing Israeli attacks. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the US has a “commitment and responsibility” to ensure the agreement is enforced on all fronts.
Iran views Lebanon as a “test” of US leverage over Israel: Muhanad Seloom of the Doha Institute assessed that Tehran is watching to see whether the US can “truly control or restrain Israel,” calling Lebanon a “test” of Washington’s influence. “If the US cannot stop Israel from attacking Lebanon,” he said, “who will guarantee that in the future Israel will not attack Iran?” The ability of the US to “ensure Israel adheres to the terms of any upcoming agreement” is critical for Iran.
Linking Lebanon to an Iran-US deal could backfire: Former US official Mark Kimmitt argued that Iran’s condition linking a cessation of hostilities in Lebanon to a broader deal is “very, very unwise.” “They cannot control what Hezbollah will do, and the US does not control what Israel will do,” he told Al Jazeera, warning that efforts to tie the two conflicts together will “backfire on Iran.”
Experts say significant hurdles remain for a broader agreement: Ali Vaez, director of the Iran project at the International Crisis Group, said a memorandum of understanding (MoU) is likely to hold, but cautioned that turning it into a comprehensive deal would be “very difficult” and “very ambitious” within a 60-day timeframe. Vaez noted both sides may remain in “MoU mode” for a while because “there is no better alternative.”
Signs of growing US-Israel tension: The Trump administration is pushing for a “full ceasefire on all fronts, including Lebanon, Hezbollah, and Israel,” even as Israeli forces continue airstrikes and ground operations in Lebanon. Trita Parsi of the Quincy Institute argued that Tehran “is not joking” about its demand for a ceasefire and Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon.
US to host new round of Israel-Lebanon talks: The Trump administration announced a new round of talks between Israeli and Lebanese officials in Washington from June 23-25, aiming to advance a “lasting peace.” Washington sees direct negotiations as the only viable path to rebuilding and reviving Lebanon’s economy, though the process is complicated by Hezbollah’s opposition and disagreements over disarming the group.
Continued Israeli attacks raise doubts about Lebanon ceasefire: Ongoing Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon after the ceasefire with Hezbollah took effect have raised questions about the viability of the agreement. The deal, brokered by Qatar, the US, and Iran, was designed to prevent the Lebanon conflict from undermining broader US-Iran peace efforts, but attacks resumed almost immediately after the deadline despite both sides expressing support for the accord.
