Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Iran’s president, Masoud Pezeshkian, has warned that continued Israeli military operations in Lebanon could render ongoing diplomatic efforts with the United States meaningless, as regional tensions escalate despite a temporary ceasefire arrangement involving Tehran.
In a statement published Thursday, Pezeshkian described Israel’s repeated strikes on Lebanon as a “blatant violation” of an initial ceasefire framework and a troubling indication of a lack of commitment to any broader agreement. He said that if the attacks continue, negotiations with Washington would lose their purpose, stressing that Iran remains ready to respond and will not abandon its allies in Lebanon.
The remarks come in the wake of one of the largest Israeli assaults on Lebanon in recent months, launched a day after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a temporary halt in military action against Iran as part of a proposed two-week ceasefire. Despite signals from Tehran and regional actors that the arrangement could extend beyond Iran, Israel has maintained that Lebanon is not included.
An Israeli security source, cited by Yedioth Ahronoth, said there were understandings between U.S. and Israeli leadership to separate the Lebanese and Iranian fronts. The source added that Israeli assessments indicate that Hezbollah maintains a force of more than 15,000 fighters.
Israel’s Chief of Staff, Eyal Zamir, signaled no pause in operations, vowing that Israeli forces would continue striking targets in Lebanon without interruption. He said the military would persist in targeting Hezbollah and exploit every opportunity to strengthen what he described as the security of northern Israel.
Iranian officials have echoed Pezeshkian’s stance. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Lebanon and the broader “axis of resistance” must be considered an integral part of any ceasefire proposal. He pointed to public remarks by Pakistan’s prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, who affirmed that Lebanon should be included in any agreement.
Ghalibaf warned that violations of ceasefire arrangements would carry clear consequences and provoke strong responses, reinforcing Tehran’s position that regional fronts cannot be treated in isolation.
International reaction has intensified following the latest escalation. Pakistan’s foreign ministry strongly condemned Israel’s continued strikes on Lebanon and called for urgent global action to halt what it described as violations of international law.
In Europe, officials have also pushed for a broader ceasefire framework. Britain’s Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, stressed the need for Lebanon to be included in any agreement, while France’s Foreign Minister, France’s Foreign Minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, condemned the large-scale Israeli attacks and reiterated the importance of extending ceasefire terms to Lebanon
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Canberra believes any ceasefire should apply to Lebanon as well, reflecting a growing international consensus that limiting the agreement to Iran alone risks further destabilizing the region.
Turkey also issued a strong rebuke, with its foreign ministry condemning the escalating Israeli strikes and warning of worsening humanitarian conditions in Lebanon. Ankara accused the government of Benjamin Netanyahu of undermining international efforts aimed at restoring peace and stability.
China expressed deep concern over the developments, with foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning urging all parties to respect Lebanon’s sovereignty and avoid further escalation that could push the region into a broader conflict.
As diplomatic efforts continue, the widening gap between ceasefire terms and realities on the ground underscores the fragility of the current pause, with Lebanon increasingly emerging as a central flashpoint that could determine whether negotiations hold or collapse.
