BEIRUT, Lebanon, October 17 (ANI) — Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh has emphasized that a complete halt to the war on every front is essential for peace, warning that continued fighting in any area would keep the conflict alive throughout the region.
According to the state-run IRNA news agency, citing Lebanon’s Al Mayadeen television network, Khatibzadeh said Iran remained committed to ending Israel’s war on Lebanon and had secured this objective in the Islamabad memorandum of understanding signed by Iran and the United States in mid-June this year. He said Lebanon was among the key issues discussed between Iran and the U.S., adding that he sought to bring the two sides closer during his visit to Beirut.
The senior Iranian official, who arrived in the Lebanese capital on Wednesday for talks with local leaders, described the discussions as “good” and confirmed meetings with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and Foreign Ministry representatives. He insisted that Israel must end its war in Lebanon and the Levant, noting that developments in the two areas remain closely linked.
One of Iran’s central demands, he explained, is an end to all wars. Continued fighting on even a single front would signal that the war remains underway everywhere. He said this position had guided Tehran’s efforts to end the conflict in Lebanon, an objective he claimed Iran had achieved.
Khatibzadeh also accused Washington and Tel Aviv of violating the Islamabad memorandum of understanding by launching strikes on Iran and Lebanon. He said American efforts to arrange a ceasefire and end Israel’s war on Lebanon had stalled, asserting that Israel could not be trusted to honor its commitments and that the United States was responsible for restraining its ally.
Describing the U.S. war on Iran as unlawful under international law, the deputy foreign minister said Washington had been unable to destroy Iran’s air defenses or its ability to deter attacks. Tehran, he added, had withstood an existential war and would continue to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Iran was prepared to address questions raised by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the United States concerning its peaceful nuclear program, he said, referring to more than 15 IAEA reports that he claimed had verified Iranian compliance. Tehran had also offered to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days, stressing that it did not seek war but would respond to any conflict imposed on it.
Hezbollah, Khatibzadeh said, is a Lebanese political party established to stop Israeli attacks and occupation. He added that ties between Iran and its partners were based on shared beliefs, values and principles. (ANI)
About The Author
