Tehran says Israeli troops must leave Lebanon for the war to be considered fully over
Iran has said that the Israel Lebanon withdrawal deal is a required part of ending its war with the United States. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that Israel’s continued military presence in southern Lebanon would amount to a violation of the agreement reached between Tehran and Washington.
What Iran Said About the Israel Lebanon Withdrawal Deal
According to official sources, Araghchi told foreign diplomats in Tehran that the ceasefire reached earlier this week applies to all fronts of the conflict, with particular emphasis on Lebanon. He said Iran regards both Israel and the Hezbollah group as bound by the terms of the memorandum of understanding, even though Israel was not a direct signatory, describing the United States and Israel as standing on one side of the agreement, with Iran and Hezbollah on the other. The United States has not officially confirmed whether the country’s status is included in the final text of the agreement, which has not yet been made public.
Israel’s Position on Troop Presence in Lebanon
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the matter separately, describing the broader agreement as a decision made by US President Donald Trump rather than a joint Israeli commitment. He said Israel has its own security priorities in the region and that its forces would remain in a buffer zone inside Lebanon for as long as deemed necessary, a position that puts Israel at odds with Tehran’s reading of the deal even as both governments remain dependent on US backing to keep the broader ceasefire intact.
Background to the Lebanon Conflict
The fighting in Lebanon traces back to the wider war between Iran, Israel, and the United States that began in February 2026, when joint Israeli-US strikes targeted Iranian military and government sites. Hezbollah, backed by Iran, responded by firing rockets and missiles toward northern Israel, prompting Israel to expand its ground and air operations across southern Lebanon to levels not seen in years, with strikes reported deep inside Beirut.
An earlier ceasefire arrangement reached in April reportedly broke down within hours after further strikes were carried out shortly after it was announced. Despite that history, Lebanese officials and regional mediators have welcomed Lebanon’s inclusion in the current US-Iran understanding. Officials familiar with the closed-door negotiations have indicated that the deal would require Israel to vacate nearly all the territory it currently holds in Lebanon, with the exception of a small number of elevated border positions seized earlier in the conflict.
What Happens Next
Hezbollah’s command structure has been considerably weakened during the fighting, but the group is still believed capable of striking Israel, leaving open questions about how any new arrangement will hold up if tested. Diplomats from both sides are expected to continue talks in the coming days, with Iran maintaining that any further Israeli military activity on Lebanese soil will be treated as a breach of the understanding. Separately, the United States and Iran are also set to begin a 60-day round of negotiations covering Iran’s nuclear program, a process that could shape how strictly the wider agreement, including its provisions on Lebanon, ends up being enforced.
Conclusion
Neither government has released the full text of the memorandum of understanding, and until that happens, the gap between Iran’s account of the deal and Israel’s stated intentions in Lebanon is likely to remain a central point of friction in the wider effort to end the war.
Also read: Trump Rejects Iran Peace Proposal as Middle East Violence Escalates, Dozens Killed in Lebanon
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