Iran has declared that any lasting agreement to end its conflict with the United States must include the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon a demand that Israel has already rejected, raising fresh doubts about the future of the fragile truce.
Speaking on Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the war could not be considered over while Israeli troops remained in territories seized during the conflict.
“Without the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the territories they occupied during this war, the war has not fully come to an end,” Araghchi said.
His remarks underscore growing disagreements over the terms of the U.S.-Iran agreement, which has yet to be made public and has been interpreted differently by officials from various countries.
While Israel is not a direct party to the accord, it remains deeply involved in the conflict after joining U.S.-led strikes on Iran in February and expanding military operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made clear that Israel has no plans to leave Lebanon soon.
“Israel will remain in Lebanon as long as necessary,” Netanyahu said earlier this week.
A U.S. official familiar with the negotiations also indicated that the current framework agreement does not explicitly require an Israeli withdrawal.
The disagreement threatens to become one of the biggest obstacles facing the emerging peace deal, which is expected to be formally signed in Switzerland on Friday.
Pakistan, which played a mediating role in the negotiations, has said the agreement calls for an end to military operations across the region, including Lebanon. Iran has consistently insisted that any comprehensive settlement must address the Lebanese front.
The issue places Israel in a difficult position as it seeks to weaken Hezbollah without undermining a peace initiative strongly backed by Washington.
Despite months of military operations, Hezbollah remains capable of launching attacks on Israel, while large areas of southern Lebanon remain under Israeli control.
The conflict has displaced more than one million people in Lebanon and left thousands dead, adding pressure on all sides to secure a durable ceasefire.
Meanwhile, the Lebanese government has welcomed the prospect of a truce, although previous ceasefire agreements between Israel and Hezbollah have repeatedly collapsed.
Several major questions also remain unresolved, including the future of Iran’s nuclear programme, sanctions relief and the fate of Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium.
Under the proposed agreement, the Strait of Hormuz would reopen immediately, allowing oil exports to resume and potentially easing pressure on global energy markets.
The United States and Iran are expected to begin 60 days of negotiations aimed at reaching a permanent settlement, but analysts warn that disagreements over Lebanon could still derail the process and risk a return to wider regional conflict.
