Iran Warns Israel to Cease 'Evil Actions' in Lebanon or Face Harsh Response

Tehran (ANTARA) - Iran on Tuesday warned that if Israel does not cease its “evil actions” in southern Lebanon, it must prepare for a harsh response from the Iranian armed forces. In an official statement, Iran’s main military command, the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, stated that since US President Donald Trump announced the end of the war, the Israeli army has violated the ceasefire in southern Lebanon 84 times and continues to commit “crimes and murder against the oppressed Lebanese people.”

Iran, the US, and Pakistan announced the finalisation of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in the early hours of Monday to end the war on all fronts in the West Asia region, including Lebanon. Iran and the US are scheduled to formally sign the MoU in Switzerland on Friday.

Speaking at a meeting with foreign diplomats in Tehran on Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi described the end of the war in Lebanon as an inseparable part of the Iran-US peace agreement, stating that in Tehran’s view, the two sides to the agreement are the US and Israel on one side, and Iran and Hezbollah on the other. “The end of the war also includes the end of the (Israeli) occupation. The end of the war will not be complete without the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the (Lebanese) territories they occupied in this war,” he said.

Araghchi made the statement after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a press conference on Monday that the Israeli military would remain in the “security zones” it controls in Lebanon, Syria, and the Gaza Strip for as long as necessary.