Iran says Lebanon ceasefire prerequisite for ending war with US-Israel

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Tuesday declared that ending the war in Lebanon represents an essential precondition for concluding the broader conflict between Iran and the US-Israeli coalition, emphasizing that the two fronts have remained interconnected since hostilities commenced.

Speaking at a meeting with international missions in Tehran, Araghchi stated that the Lebanon and Iran fronts "became somehow connected and dependent on each other, from day one, the Islamic Republic of Iran considered ending the war in Lebanon a prerequisite for ending the war with Iran." He noted that the recently announced ceasefire agreement will formally take effect on Friday, according to Iran's state-run IRNA news agency.

Ceasefire terms

The top diplomat confirmed that the end of hostilities was declared on Monday morning Tehran time, describing the cessation of fighting in Lebanon as an "inseparable" component of the truce deal negotiated with Washington. "Now that we have reached an end to the war, the end of the war will also be in Lebanon," he said, underscoring that the memorandum of understanding establishes a framework for de-escalation across both theaters simultaneously.

Switzerland talks structure

The upcoming negotiations between Iranian and American delegations are scheduled to commence in Switzerland on Friday and will proceed in two distinct phases, Araghchi told the semi-official Tasnim news agency. The first phase will address maritime restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz, post-conflict reconstruction of Iranian infrastructure, and immediate security arrangements, while subsequent discussions will tackle nuclear program concerns and the lifting of sanctions as part of a comprehensive final settlement.