Iran rules out deal with US without Lebanon ceasefire

Iran has said it will not enter into any agreement with the United States unless a ceasefire in Lebanon is secured and maintained, underscoring that ending the conflict remains Tehran’s top priority.

Speaking at a weekly press briefing on Monday, Esmaeil Baghaei said a ceasefire in Lebanon is an essential prerequisite for any understanding aimed at ending hostilities.

Baghaei also dismissed reports of ongoing negotiations with Washington over Iran’s nuclear programme, saying no discussions were currently taking place on the issue.

“We are not discussing the details of the nuclear file at this time. Our main priority is stopping the war,” he told reporters.

Iran maintains that despite a ceasefire agreement that took effect in Lebanon in mid-April, Israel has continued military operations and attacks. Tehran argues that no meaningful agreement can be reached without guarantees for Lebanon’s security.

The spokesperson further accused the United States of violating the ceasefire, claiming American forces carried out actions that breached the truce on Monday.

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Meanwhile, the United States military said it had struck radar and drone facilities in Iran’s Goruk area and on Qeshm Island over the weekend, describing the operation as a defensive measure. Iran, for its part, claimed to have launched a retaliatory attack on a US military installation. Source: Al Jazeera.