"Israel hopes its concerns on Hezbollah will be addressed": Deputy Envoy to India Fares Saeb
Mumbai, June 18
Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of Israel in India, Fares Saeb hopes that Israel's concerns on Hezbollah and Iran's nuclear program will be addressed in the 60 days of negotiations between US and Iran.
Saeb, in a conversation with ANI, said that Israel will not accept Iran's nuclear program and financing of Iranian proxies against Israel.
He said, "We have our own concerns regarding the deal and actually it's a ceasefire for 60 days that will negotiate an agreement later. We hope that our concerns will be addressed during those 60 days...We know that the United States knows about our concerns and what's important to us eventually. There are two things on the table that we won't accept anyway. Iran's nuclear program and connected to it, it's the ballistic missiles program and financing and operating the proxies against Israel, including Hezbollah and others," he said.
Tensions continue to simmer between Israel and Lebanon with the Israelis refusing to stop action against the Hezbollah in the southern part of the country. On Wednesday an IDF reservist soldier was killed, and seven others were wounded, including senior officers, by a Hezbollah explosive device in southern Lebanon. The Deputy envoy hopes that negotiations with Lebanon will yield positive results.
"As long as our concerns are addressed, of course we see this as a positive initiative...We hope that the negotiations with the Lebanese government will go forward and will be positive...The only thing that is in the middle between us and Lebanon being in peace is Iran. If Hezbollah operated by Iran, directed by Iran, will keep being a threat on Israel and Israel's citizens. We will react regardless of any agreement between any other two countries," he said.
Meanwhile, Iranian ships have entered ports without issue, and cargos have also been unloaded from ports without hindrance, spokesperson of the country's foreign ministry Esmaeil Baqaei, said on Thursday as per the ISNA news agency. Baqaei said that while the Presidents of both US and Iran- Donald Trump and Masoud Pezeshkian- had signed an agreement, the cost of breaking it will be higher. The two leaders virtually signed a 14-point Memorandum of Understanding between the two countries.
"We concluded that the better option is for the Presidents of the two countries to sign the text virtually, without the need to be present in a specific location. There are multiple reasons for this decision, one of the most important of which is that when the text reaches the signature of the highest officials of the two countries, the cost of violating it will also be higher. I think there's no room for holding another ceremony," the Iranian spokesperson said.
The MoU is aimed at ending hostilities between the two countries, reopening the Strait of Hormuz, and launching a 60-day process to negotiate a final agreement on sanctions and Iran's nuclear programme.
— ANI
Reader Comments
It's interesting how the US and Iran have gone for a virtual signing of the MoU—pragmatic, considering the complexities of a face-to-face meeting. But I'm skeptical about the 60-day deadline. Diplomacy isn't a T20 match, yaar. Real issues like Iran's nuclear ambitions and ballistic missiles can't be resolved in such a short window. Let's see how this plays out.
Israel's position is clear: no nuclear Iran and no proxies like Hezbollah threatening their citizens. As a Canadian, I see parallels with how security issues are handled in the West. That said, the Iranian diplomat's point about the "cost of breaking the agreement" being higher is a smart deterrent. Hopefully, this leads to lasting peace, not just a temporary ceasefire.
The only thing standing between Israel and Lebanon being at peace is Iran—that's a bold statement but honestly, it's true. Hezbollah is basically Iran's pawn in the region. India has always advocated for peaceful resolution, but I feel for Israel's situation. They can't just trust a 60-day window when Iranian proxies are carrying out attacks like the one that killed an IDF reservist.
I appreciate Israel's diplomatic approach here—they're voicing concerns but also hoping for positive outcomes. The virtual signing between Trump and Pezeshkian is a unique twist in modern diplomacy. But let's be honest, these Middle East issues have been simmering for decades. One MoU won't solve everything. India should watch this closely, given our own energy security depends on Strait of Hormuz.
K Kavya N < We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.