{"id":1031070,"date":"2026-06-16T22:20:22","date_gmt":"2026-06-16T22:20:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/1031070\/"},"modified":"2026-06-16T22:20:22","modified_gmt":"2026-06-16T22:20:22","slug":"iran-says-the-us-war-deal-requires-israel-to-withdraw-from-lebanon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/1031070\/","title":{"rendered":"Iran says the US war deal requires Israel to withdraw from Lebanon"},"content":{"rendered":"

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) \u2014 Iran\u2019s top diplomat said Tuesday that the tentative deal to end the war<\/a> with the United States would require Israel to withdraw from Lebanon \u2014 a condition Israel has already rejected and that could sink the agreement, leading to the resumption of all-out war.<\/p>\n

The deal, which is between the U.S. and Iran, has not been made public, and officials have sometimes offered contradictory interpretations of what is in it. While Israel is not party to the agreement, it is part of the war after joining the U.S. in launching strikes on Iran<\/a> on Feb. 28. Israel has also fought the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group<\/a> in Lebanon and seized large swaths of that country.<\/p>\n

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi<\/a> said Israel\u2019s continued occupation of southern Lebanon would violate the deal.<\/p>\n

\u201cWithout the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the territories they occupied during this war, the war has not fully come to an end,\u201d Araghchi said.<\/p>\n

A U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss outlines of the agreement, has said the deal does not call for an Israeli withdrawal. And Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu<\/a> said Monday that Israel would remain in Lebanon \u201cas long as necessary.\u201d<\/p>\n

The negotiations to end the war have been plagued by such disagreements before, leading to a prolonged but uneasy ceasefire that has failed to develop into a permanent end to hostilities and has left the Strait of Hormuz<\/a>, a crucial waterway for the world\u2019s energy supplies, effectively shut.<\/p>\n

In other developments, Switzerland\u2019s foreign ministry said the signing ceremony for the deal will take place Friday at the B\u00fcrgenstock resort near the city of Luzern. Ministry officials said Tuesday that the location was proposed by Pakistani and Qatari mediators, along with the U.S. and Iran.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Tankers<\/p>\n

Tankers and cargo vessels are seen in the Gulf of Oman, along shipping routes linking the Strait of Hormuz and the Arabian Sea, Tuesday, June 16, 2026. (AP Photo)<\/p>\n

Tankers and cargo vessels are seen in the Gulf of Oman, along shipping routes linking the Strait of Hormuz and the Arabian Sea, Tuesday, June 16, 2026. (AP Photo)<\/p>\n

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Iran\u2019s call for an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon complicates any deal<\/p>\n

Pakistan has said the deal called for an end to military operations, including in Lebanon, as Iran long insisted. But Araghchi\u2019s call for an Israeli withdrawal adds a new wrinkle.<\/p>\n

It puts Israel into a dilemma as it tries to degrade Hezbollah\u2019s military capabilities without undermining an agreement championed by its most important ally, the United States. Israel invaded southern Lebanon after Hezbollah fired missiles across the border during the first week of the war. Since then, it has expanded its military footprint to levels unseen in decades and struck targets deep inside Beirut.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

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Though Hezbollah has been weakened, it retains the ability to strike Israel, leaving open questions about the effectiveness of Israel\u2019s campaign.<\/p>\n

As of Tuesday evening, Netanyahu had not seen the memorandum of understanding between the U.S. and Iran, said a person familiar with the situation, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss closed-door details. Another person, who also spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations between Israel and the U.S., said Israeli officials have not asked U.S. negotiators for the memorandum.<\/p>\n

Netanyahu\u2019s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press. The White House declined to comment on whether Netanyahu or Israeli officials have reviewed the agreement.<\/p>\n

The Israeli ambassador to the U.S., Yechiel Leiter, told NPR that while Israel does not know the details of the deal, the apparent inclusion of Lebanon is \u201cunnecessary and unhelpful.\u201d<\/p>\n

The extent of Israel\u2019s strikes has at times opened a public fracture between its leaders and U.S. President Donald Trump, who told reporters Tuesday that he was \u201cnot happy with the way Israel has handled themselves with Lebanon and with Hezbollah.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt just goes on forever,\u201d he said of Israel\u2019s strategy. Israeli strikes in Lebanon have killed nearly 4,000 people, including hundreds of civilians, and displaced more than 1 million. \u201cIsrael\u2019s fighting Hezbollah too long, and too many people are being killed,\u201d Trump said.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/p>\n

\n An Israeli army bulldozer drives through Wadi al-Hujeir in southern Lebanon, Tuesday, June 16, 2026. (AP Photo\/Mohammed Zaatari)\n <\/p>\n

An Israeli army bulldozer drives through Wadi al-Hujeir in southern Lebanon, Tuesday, June 16, 2026. (AP Photo\/Mohammed Zaatari)<\/p>\n

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\"A<\/p>\n

\n A displaced woman checks her mobile phone as she waits to return to her village following the announcement of an initial ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran, in the southern port city of Sidon, Lebanon, Monday, June 15, 2026. (AP Photo\/Mohammed Zaatari)\n <\/p>\n

A displaced woman checks her mobile phone as she waits to return to her village following the announcement of an initial ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran, in the southern port city of Sidon, Lebanon, Monday, June 15, 2026. (AP Photo\/Mohammed Zaatari)<\/p>\n

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Lebanese government welcomes prospects for a ceasefire <\/p>\n

Israel and the Lebanese government have entered into their own U.S.-mediated direct negotiations<\/a>, of which Hezbollah was not a part. Those talks have yielded several announced ceasefires<\/a> that were never implemented on the ground.<\/p>\n

Lebanese officials initially tried to keep Lebanon separate from the U.S.-Iran negotiations, not wanting to be seen as beholden to Iran, but they have since welcomed the announcement that the deal to end the U.S.-Iran war would include a ceasefire in Lebanon.<\/p>\n

Araghchi\u2019s latest comments appear to match the understanding of two regional officials with direct knowledge of the interim deal. The officials, speaking to AP on condition of anonymity to discuss the closed-door negotiations, said it would require Israel to leave nearly all the territory it occupies in Lebanon, minus a few hilltop points along the border seized earlier.<\/p>\n

The officials say Iran insisted the accord include Lebanon in the last days of the negotiations.<\/p>\n

The U.N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon known as UNIFIL reported that Israel and Hezbollah are still exchanging fire but at a \u201csignificantly reduced level,\u201d U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said Tuesday.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Israeli<\/p>\n

Israeli and Lebanese flags are seen in an area near the border, backdropped by destroyed buildings in southern Lebanon as viewed from northern Israel, Monday, June 15, 2026. (AP Photo\/Leo Correa)<\/p>\n

Israeli and Lebanese flags are seen in an area near the border, backdropped by destroyed buildings in southern Lebanon as viewed from northern Israel, Monday, June 15, 2026. (AP Photo\/Leo Correa)<\/p>\n

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Many questions loom ahead of ceremonial signing <\/p>\n

Lebanon is only one of several major questions hanging over the ceasefire ahead of the planned ceremonial signing.<\/p>\n

The agreement is meant to provide a meaningful truce in a monthslong war that has killed thousands across the Middle East, including the top leaders<\/a> of Iran\u2019s theocracy, and raised the prices of fuel, food and other basic goods far beyond the region.<\/p>\n

The agreement provides for the \u201cimmediate\u201d opening of the Strait of Hormuz and the lifting of the American naval blockade of Iranian ports, according to a senior U.S. official who spoke to reporters Monday on condition of anonymity to discuss outlines of the agreement.<\/p>\n

Pakistani officials who helped broker the agreement also described plans for the simultaneous lifting of Iran\u2019s closure of the strait and the U.S. blockade.<\/p>\n

The United States and Iran will then begin 60 days of negotiations over Iran\u2019s nuclear program<\/a> and the potential lifting of sanctions, Pakistani officials who helped broker the interim deal said, speaking on condition of anonymity about the unpublished text.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"People<\/p>\n

People walk along Tajrish square in northern Tehran, Monday, June 15, 2026. (AP Photo\/Vahid Salemi)<\/p>\n

People walk along Tajrish square in northern Tehran, Monday, June 15, 2026. (AP Photo\/Vahid Salemi)<\/p>\n

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The pact also includes the possibility of releasing Iran\u2019s frozen funds and a $300 billion fund to help rebuild Iran if Tehran meets certain benchmarks, senior U.S. officials told reporters Monday. Trump later said the United States would not \u201cinvest\u201d funds in Iran.<\/p>\n

Regarding the timeline, regional officials who spoke to AP about the deal said the release of frozen Iranian assets would be tied to Tehran implementing the deal. Gulf Arab states also have pledged to inject billions of dollars in Iran\u2019s economy, they added, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the negotiations.<\/p>\n

U.S. officials have not yet explained how they see the agreement addressing Iran\u2019s nuclear program, including who will be in charge of verifying that Iran is in compliance<\/a> and who will destroy or remove highly enriched uranium believed to be buried under nuclear sites that were badly damaged<\/a> by U.S. strikes last summer.<\/p>\n

Iran has agreed to discuss ways to possibly \u201cdilute or remove\u201d the uranium, the regional officials said. However, it remains unclear whether Tehran would agree to that, particularly with hard-liners opposing to giving it up.<\/p>\n

Trump said he\u2019s open to sending the emerging agreement to the U.S. Congress for review.<\/p>\n

Speaking on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit<\/a> in the French Alps, Trump said, \u201cI like the idea, send it to Congress please.\u201d He added, \u201cI mean who wouldn\u2019t approve it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Republicans on Capitol Hill say they want Trump to provide more information about the agreement<\/a>, with some expressing skepticism that the deal can deter Iran from pursuing a nuclear weapon.<\/p>\n

___ Metz reported from Ramallah, West Bank, and Magdy reported from Cairo. Associated Press writers Julia Frankel and Koral Saeed in Jerusalem, Munir Ahmed in Islamabad, Michelle L. Price in Washington, Aamer Madhani in Geneva, Darlene Superville in Evian-les-Bains, France, and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) \u2014 Iran\u2019s top diplomat said Tuesday that the tentative deal to end the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1031071,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[5311],"tags":[19751,6505,51,32,4179,836,8614,774,14535,83163,837,58138,838,83634,8547,149950,49,5213,978,659,7660,10673,263,284571],"class_list":["post-1031070","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-united-states","tag-abbas-araghchi","tag-benjamin-netanyahu","tag-business","tag-donald-trump","tag-general-news","tag-hezbollah","tag-international-agreements","tag-iran","tag-iran-government","tag-iran-war","tag-israel","tag-israel-government","tag-lebanon","tag-mideast-wars","tag-religion","tag-stephane-dujarric","tag-united-states","tag-united-states-government","tag-us","tag-usa","tag-war-and-unrest","tag-washington-news","tag-world-news","tag-yechiel-leiter"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/116762118241942072","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1031070","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1031070"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1031070\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1031071"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1031070"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1031070"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1031070"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}