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Iran said Monday that a ceasefire in Lebanon remains a condition for any agreement with the United States, while accusing Washington of continuing to violate the existing truce framework.
“The main factor in the failure to reach an agreement in the region is the Zionist regime and the attacks on Lebanon, an attempt to prevent the improvement of the situation in the region,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei told a news conference, according to state broadcaster IRIB.
“We insist that a ceasefire in Lebanon is an essential condition for any deal aimed at ending the war,” Baqaei said during his weekly press briefing, as Israel expands its military operations in Lebanon.
Baqaei also blamed Washington for ongoing developments, arguing that the United States bears responsibility because it supports Israel.
“The United States is also violating the ceasefire, including this morning,” Baqaei said, vowing that Iran would “take whatever measures we deem necessary to defend Iran's national security.”
“The US is also responsible,” he added, claiming that “every action” taken by Israel is “the responsibility of America, which supports it.”
He stressed that diplomacy should not be viewed as a substitute for power and said negotiations do not necessarily imply mutual trust.
“When the other side issues contradictory statements and conflicting media messages, it prolongs the negotiation process,” Baqaei said.
The remarks came as tensions continued to rise in Lebanon following Israel’s expanded military operations north of the Litani River, including its seizure of the Beaufort Ridge in southern Lebanon.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said Monday that they had ordered strikes on Beirut’s Dahiyeh suburb, a stronghold of the Iran-backed Hezbollah group.
Netanyahu said he and Katz had instructed the military to “strike terrorist targets” in the area.
The order came despite a U.S.-mediated ceasefire that took effect on April 17 and was later extended through early July.
According to Lebanon’s Health Ministry, Israeli attacks since March 2 have killed more than 3,400 people across the country.
Regional tensions have remained high since the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran in February.
Tehran responded with attacks targeting Israel and U.S. allies in the Gulf and by closing the Strait of Hormuz.
A ceasefire brokered by Pakistan took effect on April 8, but subsequent talks in Islamabad failed to secure a lasting agreement.
Since then, Washington and Tehran have continued exchanging proposals and counterproposals in an effort to resume direct negotiations and reach a broader agreement aimed at ending the conflict.
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