DUBAI — Iranian state television warned on Monday that a ceasefire agreed between Iran and the United States in early April is highly likely to collapse if Israeli attacks against the Tehran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon continue. No further details were provided.
Previously, Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported that Tehran was suspending indirect negotiations with the U.S. following Israel’s order for its troops to advance further into Lebanon, a move that complicates diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the three-month conflict.
According to Tasnim, the Islamic Republic’s negotiating team ceased exchanging messages with Washington via mediators due to the ongoing attacks on Lebanon, where the U.S.-Israeli conflict against Iran has intensified Israel’s long-standing confrontation with Hezbollah.
There was no immediate confirmation of these reports from Iranian officials, nor any comment from the U.S. or Israeli sides.
The action reported by Tasnim presents an additional hurdle to hopes for a rapid resolution of the crisis. This comes after Iran claimed to have attacked a U.S. air base in response to weekend U.S. strikes on Iranian military targets, which had already strained a precarious ceasefire.
Oil prices surged by over $6 a barrel following the Tasnim report.
On Monday, Israeli Prime Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered attacks on the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs of Beirut, triggering another wave of displacement in a conflict that has already uprooted over 1 million people in Lebanon.
Netanyahu’s office accused Hezbollah of repeatedly violating a ceasefire established in late April.
Earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated on social media his belief that Tehran desires to reach an agreement. However, hopes for a breakthrough were dampened by Iranian officials’ criticisms of the “constantly changing” U.S. negotiating position.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi also highlighted Lebanon, where another ceasefire is currently active, as a significant impediment.
“A violation on one front constitutes a violation of the ceasefire on all fronts. The U.S. and Israel are accountable for the repercussions of any violation,” he stated on X.
The conflict, initiated by the U.S. and Israel on February 28, has resulted in thousands of casualties, primarily in Iran and Lebanon. It has also inflicted global economic hardship by driving up energy prices, especially since Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial global supply route for oil and liquefied natural gas.
Tasnim reported that Iran and the “Resistance Front,” comprising its Shi’ite allies in Yemen, Lebanon, and Iraq, have outlined a plan to completely blockade the Strait of Hormuz and activate other fronts, including the Bab El Mandeb Strait, to “punish” Israel and its backers.
Should the Houthis, Iran’s allies in Yemen, open a new front in the conflict, a clear target would be the Bab El Mandeb Strait off the Yemeni coast, a critical shipping chokepoint and narrow passage controlling maritime traffic towards the Suez Canal.
Regarding Iran’s demands concerning Lebanon, Tasnim stated that “there will be no talks until Iran and the resistance’s views on this matter are met.”
Despite their ceasefire, Iran and the U.S. have sporadically exchanged attacks, while Pakistan has been attempting to mediate a lasting peace agreement.
The U.S. military announced that over the weekend, it struck Iranian air defenses, a ground control station, and two drones that were threatening ships, following “aggressive Iranian actions” which included shooting down a U.S. drone over international waters.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) stated on Monday that it had targeted a U.S.-used air base in retaliation for an attack on southern Iran.
The IRGC did not identify the base, but Kuwait activated its air defenses on Monday and condemned Iranian missile and drone attacks, asserting that these actions were undermining regional de-escalation efforts.
U.S. forces intercepted two Iranian ballistic missiles targeting American forces stationed in Kuwait late on Sunday, the U.S. military reported on Monday, confirming that no American personnel were injured.
A U.S. official stated on Sunday that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio engaged in discussions with both Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu regarding diplomatic negotiations between Israel and Lebanon, proposing a plan for “gradual de-escalation.”
President Trump is facing pressure to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and reduce U.S. gasoline prices ahead of the November congressional elections, as voters express growing frustration over escalating costs. Concurrently, he risks a potential backlash from Iran hawks within his own party should he make any concessions to Tehran.
Trump has consistently stated that his primary objective in the conflict is to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon using its highly enriched uranium. Tehran, however, denies any intentions of developing a nuclear arsenal.
The parties also remain at odds over other issues, including Tehran’s demands for the lifting of sanctions and the unfreezing of tens of billions of dollars in Iranian oil revenue held in foreign banks.
Furthermore, Iran seeks the U.S. to lift a blockade on its ports, which was imposed after Tehran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz earlier in the conflict.
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