Iran Sets Red Line: No US Deal Until “Israel” Ends Aggression in Lebanon
By Staff, Agencies
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei, said that a ceasefire in Lebanon is an essential part of any final agreement to end the war, denouncing the "Israeli" enemy for escalating attacks in violation of an existing truce.
Speaking at his weekly press conference on Monday, Baghaei responded to a question about Lebanon's developments and the ongoing "Israeli" atrocities in the country.
He said the region has long faced what he described as continuous warmongering by the Zionist entity, arguing that, with United States backing, it has waged an ongoing campaign against countries in the region for the past 80 years.
He noted that the developments of recent months constitute a "clear and flagrant violation" of the April 8 ceasefire.
The US and “Israel” launched their illegal, unprovoked war of aggression against Iran on February 28.
Following the US-"Israeli" war against Iran launched on February 28, Iran responded with Operation True Promise 4, carrying out more than 100 waves of missile and drone strikes against US and "Israeli" targets across the region, while also restricting access through the Strait of Hormuz for vessels linked to its adversaries.
A fragile Pakistan‑brokered ceasefire has been in place since early April, but a US naval blockade of Iranian ports remains in effect.
Tehran says it will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until the blockade is lifted and the war permanently ends.
"We have emphasized and continue to emphasize that a ceasefire in Lebanon is an integral part of any ceasefire and any final agreement to end the war," Baghaei added.
The spokesman further stated that it is not only "Israel" that is “violating the ceasefire; the US, on such a wide scale, is also committing violations of the ceasefire in our region."
He also pointed to the continuation of "maritime banditry and aggression against Iranian commercial shipping," saying, "Add to this violation of the ceasefire the continuation of maritime banditry and aggression against Iranian commercial shipping, which itself is both a violation of the ceasefire and an act of aggression against Iran."
Iranian officials have warned that any new aggression will be met with a far more devastating response than before.
Baghaei reaffirmed Iran’s commitment to supporting Lebanon and the Lebanese Resistance against what he described as the Zionist entity’s unlawful aggression.
Responding to a question about the main obstacles to the negotiations with the US, Baghaei said, "In a situation where the other side constantly changes its views, raises new or contradictory demands, and sends different and inconsistent media messages, it is natural that this situation prolongs the negotiation process."
Responding to US President Donald Trump’s remarks on Iran’s enriched uranium and the Fordow facility, Baghaei said Iran knows how to manage its nuclear affairs and stressed that no nuclear negotiations are currently underway, with the country’s focus remaining on ending the war.
Baghaei said the release of Iran’s frozen assets remains a non-negotiable demand, stressing that Tehran seeks the return of funds belonging to the Iranian people that have been blocked abroad due to what it called illegal US measures.
Baghaei warned that any NATO intervention in the Gulf would further escalate tensions, arguing that Western countries should instead hold the US and "Israel" accountable for creating the crisis.
