**Iran’s Supreme Leader Ties Peace Deal to End Israeli Attacks on Lebanon**
In a significant development, Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has expressed his support for ending Israel’s attacks on Lebanon in exchange for peace with the United States. The move comes amid reports of a halt to strikes and renewed diplomacy between Tehran and Washington.
Khamenei made the statement on Sunday, stating that any agreement to end the war would be contingent on Israel stopping its aggression against Lebanese territory. He also voiced his support for Hezbollah’s former leader Hassan Nasrallah and the people of southern Lebanon, citing their defense as a strategic mandate for Iran.
The Iranian supreme leader’s intervention comes after reports of a halt to attacks between Tehran and Washington. The two countries have been engaged in diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict, with the US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in June being one of the key agreements.
Iran has consistently made ending Israeli strikes on Lebanon a precondition for peace talks. However, the agreement collapsed amid disputes over the Strait of Hormuz and the timeline for Israel’s withdrawal from occupied territories.
Lebanon was drawn into the conflict after Hezbollah launched strikes against northern Israel citing the killing of then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in February 2024. The situation escalated further when Israeli forces began bulldozing, shelling, and conducting combing operations across southern Lebanese territory without a timetable for withdrawal.
The US-Iran MoU stipulated that Lebanon would be free from Israeli occupation once Hezbollah was disarmed. However, the agreement has been rejected by both sides, with Iran and Hezbollah rejecting it as well.
As of Sunday, Israel continued to violate a previous ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel over 10,000 times, according to UN peacekeepers. The situation remains volatile, with reports of an exchange of attacks between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia in Yemen.
The Iranian supreme leader’s statement on Lebanon comes at a time when war is spreading into neighboring countries. However, Khamenei’s words carry significant weight, as he has been instrumental in shaping Iran’s foreign policy for decades.
In conclusion, Khamenei’s intervention marks an important shift in the dynamics of the conflict between Tehran and Washington. While it remains to be seen whether his statement will lead to a breakthrough in peace talks, it is clear that Iran sees ending Israeli attacks on Lebanon as a crucial step towards achieving its strategic objectives.
**Recommended Stories**
* US and Iran hit pause on strikes for second day
* From paradise to ‘pilot zone’ disaster: Returning to destroyed Lebanon home
* Israel obstructing takeover of pilot zones in Lebanon’s south: Military
Based on reporting from Al Jazeera.
Read original source
