Attack on Lebanon would mean violation of cessation of war agreement: Iran
Tehran, June 16
Iranian foreign minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Tuesday said that the war has ended, and any attack on Lebanon would constitute a violation of agreement reached between Iran and the US, ISNA News Agency has reported.
"Since yesterday morning, the war has officially ended across all fronts, and any Israeli attack on Lebanon constitutes a violation of the agreement" Araghchi was cited as saying.
ISNA News Agency quoted the Commander-in-Chief of the Iranian Army, Major General Amir Hatami as warning if the enemy makes any mistake, they will see the pent-up wrath of Iran.
"If the enemy makes a mistake, it will face a pent-up fury that will make their task extremely difficult. The enemy claims to have achieved victory in the military arena, but this is a lie from the enemy because the army's navy is powerfully defending 600 kilometers of the Sea of Oman's coastline. The enemy wanted to execute a plan to open the Strait of Hormuz, but in the back and forth, they were targeted with cruise missiles and drones; we saw the fire on them," he said.
Araghchi also said that negotiations will begin on Saturday after the signing of the memorandum of understanding.
"Negotiations will begin on Saturday after the signing of the memorandum of understanding. These negotiations will continue for 60 days to reach a final agreement. This final agreement pertains to nuclear issues and the lifting of sanctions. The official start of implementing the memorandum is from Saturday; the end of the war is from Monday," he said.
Araghchi further announced that Iran and US talks will be headed by Iran's Parliamentary Speaker MB Ghalibaf and US Vice President JD Vance.
"The chairmanship of the Iran and US delegations in the new round of talks in Switzerland will be held by Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and JD Vance," he said, as per ISNA News Agency.
Meanwhile, earlier in the day, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the fighting was successful but admitted he still does not know what is written in the deal, as reported by The Times of Israel.
— ANI
Reader Comments
"Pent-up wrath of Iran"? Sounds like typical posturing from both sides. But the deal involving nuclear issues and sanctions - that's interesting. India has good relations with Iran (Chabahar port, oil imports), so we should keep a close watch. Selfishly, I hope the Strait of Hormuz remains open for our energy security.
Ghalibaf and Vance sitting across the table? That's a wild combo. 60 days for negotiations seems optimistic given the history. But Iran's navy flexing with cruise missiles and drones - that's a serious capability. Israel better be careful.
From an Indian perspective, we need to be practical. Iran is our strategic partner in West Asia, but Israel is also a close friend. This is a tricky balance. The MoU and talks are a positive step, but Netanyahu saying he "doesn't know what's in the deal" is alarming. Trust deficit is real.
"War ended yesterday" - that's a bold statement. Ceasefire agreements in this region have a shelf life of months, not years. The nuclear deal revival and sanctions relief is the real prize for Iran. Egypt, Saudi, and UAE must be watching nervously.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.