Iran Says It Is Finalizing War-End Accord With US, Warns Beirut Strike Would Spark Full-Scale War

Iranian Foreign Minister Says Lebanon Ceasefire Must Be Included in Accord

Iran said it is coordinating the final draft of an accord with the US to end the war. It also reaffirmed that, although no formal negotiation framework is in place, any war-end agreement must guarantee a ceasefire across regional fronts, including Lebanon.

Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s foreign minister, told Lebanon’s Al Mayadeen television that there is currently no negotiation mechanism, but messages are still being exchanged with the US, Anadolu Agency reported on June 3. Contact with Washington has not been severed, though the talks have made no progress.

He said both sides are reviewing texts exchanged through mediators as they work toward what he described as a possible “final formula” for an agreement. Resuming negotiations with the US would require guarantees of the Iranian people’s rights, as well as an end to the war involving Iran, Lebanon and other parts of the region, he added.

Iran has maintained that all fronts, including Lebanon, must be covered by any ceasefire since it entered the war after what it described as a preemptive attack by the US and Israel in late February. Tehran agreed to a ceasefire in early April under Pakistani mediation while insisting that all fronts, including Lebanon, be included. Israel, however, continued military operations in southern Lebanon against the Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah, citing self-defense, even after agreeing to a ceasefire with Lebanon in mid-April through US mediation.

Araghchi said he directly asked Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, a mediator, to ensure that any agreement with the US explicitly includes war-end provisions for all fronts, including Lebanon. In other words, a war-end accord with Washington cannot be separated from stability on the Lebanese front.

He also said Iran sent a message to the US two days earlier saying Israel must be stopped from attacking Beirut. Such a strike would be a clear act of aggression, he said, adding that Tehran had made clear to all relevant parties that it would not remain silent.

Iranian forces have reportedly gone on full alert following Israeli threats to strike Beirut. If an actual attack had taken place, the ceasefire would have collapsed, Araghchi said. Any attack on Beirut would lead to a resumption of full-scale war.

Oh Se-seong, Hankyung.com reporter sesung@hankyung.com