US-Iran deal met with despair in Israel, joy in Lebanon and hope in Iran
An interim US-Iran peace deal has triggered sharp reactions across the Middle East. Israel’s government rejects any obligation to withdraw from Lebanon, while Lebanese civilians cautiously return home despite ongoing Israeli strikes. Iran insists on an Israeli pullout as a condition for lasting peace, and regional skepticism persists over the deal’s implementation.
What changed
New statements from Israeli ministers and Iranian officials clarify hardline positions on Lebanon, while displaced Lebanese civilians begin returning to conflict zones despite unresolved military tensions.
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US-Iran deal sparks regional divide: Israel defiant, Lebanon cautious, Iran hopeful
confidence 93%An interim US-Iran peace deal has triggered sharp reactions across the Middle East. Israel’s government rejects any obligation to withdraw from Lebanon, while Lebanese civilians cautiously return home despite ongoing Israeli strikes. Iran insists on an Israeli pullout as a condition for lasting peace, and regional skepticism persists over the deal’s implementation.
What's confirmed:
- Israeli officials, including a minister, have explicitly stated that Israel will not withdraw its forces from Lebanon under the US-Iran deal.
- Iranian officials, including the foreign minister, have repeatedly demanded that Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon be a core condition of any US-Iran peace agreement.
- Lebanese civilians in southern regions, such as near Tyre, are returning to homes abandoned due to fighting, though Israeli airstrikes continue.
- The US has not publicly committed to enforcing an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon as part of the deal, leaving the issue unresolved.
- Iranian state media and officials have linked the end of hostilities to the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon, framing it as a non-negotiable demand.
- Next round of US-Iran talks is scheduled to begin on Friday, with Iran’s foreign minister emphasizing that Israeli military presence in Lebanon violates the deal’s terms.
- A US official confirmed that the Strait of Hormuz will reopen to all shipping immediately after the deal’s finalization, though Iran has not set a fixed signing date.
- Shiite political and religious figures in Lebanon have called for stronger ties between Iran and Hezbollah, signaling continued regional alignment despite the deal.
Still unconfirmed:
- An Iranian official claimed the deal explicitly includes an end to Israel’s occupation of Lebanon, though no formal text has been released.
- Israeli ministers have suggested their government is not legally bound by the US-Iran agreement to halt offensive operations against Hezbollah.
- Some Lebanese observers speculate that the deal may lead to a permanent ceasefire, though no official confirmation exists.
- Reports indicate displaced Lebanese families are returning to conflict zones despite ongoing military engagements, raising concerns about stability.