Iran Insists Israel Is Bound by Peace Agreement with US
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has asserted that Iran views Israel as bound by a peace agreement with the United States, alongside the Hezbollah movement. The statement from Tehran comes in response to Israel’s continued attacks on Lebanese territory following the announcement of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on peace with the US.
‘I want to emphasise an important point: From our perspective, one party to this memorandum is the United States and Israel, and the other party is Iran and Hezbollah,’ Araghchi said during a meeting with representatives of foreign diplomatic missions on Tuesday.
Araghchi stressed that ending hostilities in Lebanon is an equally crucial aspect of efforts to conclude the war between the US and Iran. ‘Without the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the territories they have occupied during the current war, the war cannot be considered fully over,’ he stated.
The Iranian foreign minister also affirmed that any form of Israeli attack against Lebanon would be treated as a violation of the peace memorandum.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said on Monday that Iran would closely monitor the situation in Lebanon. Echoing Araghchi, he noted that the cessation of hostilities in the region is part of the MoU with the United States.
‘Going forward, we will monitor developments (in Lebanon) closely and will use all necessary means, if required, to ensure the opposing party fulfils its obligations,’ Baghaei told a press briefing.
The diplomat added that ending the conflict in Lebanon is an integral part of the memorandum of understanding to halt the war between Iran and the US. Baghaei stated that Iran would soon decide on the mechanism for signing the MoU.
The prime minister of Pakistan, who acted as a mediator in the deal, mentioned that the official signing ceremony would be held in Switzerland on Friday.
‘The matter of the method and mechanism for signing this memorandum of understanding will be decided finally today or tomorrow,’ Baghaei noted. He also said that Iranian representatives would visit several countries before the meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, the planned location for the signing of the MoU between Iran and the US.