Washington is responsible for compelling Israel to comply with U.S. commitments, the Iranian diplomat said.
On Thursday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei pointed out that any refusal by Israel to fully withdraw from southern Lebanon would render the U.S.-Iran Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) null and void.
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“If the Israeli regime’s attacks against Lebanon continue, this will constitute a violation of the other side’s commitments within the framework of the MoU,” he said.
“We do not differentiate between the United States and the Israeli regime. It is the responsibility of the United States to compel the Israeli regime to honor America’s commitments to Iran within the framework of the agreement,” Baghaei added.
The MoU was digitally signed Wednesday night by U.S. President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. It includes commitments related to Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
#Israel publishes a map of its operational “security zone” in southern #Lebanon , extending about 10 km into Lebanese territory.#commodity#gold #cryptos #indices#Iran #USA #WTI #CrudeOil #Forex #Geopolitics pic.twitter.com/X11u1xWqpW
— Elvira Miller (@ElviramillerMA) June 18, 2026
In an interview published by the Lebanese newspaper Al Akhbar, the Iranian spokesperson said his country interprets those guarantees as requiring not only the cessation of hostilities but also the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from any occupied Lebanese territory.
“As long as the occupation continues, it can be said that the war is still ongoing and has not essentially ended,” Baghaei said, adding that Iran insisted from the outset of the negotiations that the conflict must end “completely and on all fronts.”
Asked about the possibility that Israel could maintain a military presence in a so-called “security zone” inside Lebanon, Baghaei said such a situation would constitute a violation of the commitments undertaken. “In that case, the MoU would be considered null and void,” he said.
The Iranian diplomat added that the second phase of U.S.-Iran talks, aimed at reaching a final agreement, will depend on full compliance with the memorandum. In Lebanon’s case, he said, that requires “a complete cessation of hostilities and an end to the occupation.”
On Thursday, however, the Israeli occupation army announced that it will remain in the territory it continues to occupy in southern Lebanon. It also warned that it will strike any “threats” it identifies “beyond” that area and that “additional measures are still being discussed within the framework of the direct negotiations between Israel and Lebanon.”
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei reaffirms that the ceasefire in Lebanon is part of—and will remain part of—the agreement between #Iran and the #UnitedStates, since the attacks carried out in that country are not unrelated to Israel’s attacks in the… pic.twitter.com/LTbWpKnqCo
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) May 4, 2026
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Source: EFE
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