Iran paused exchanging texts with the United States to end the ongoing war in West Asia as a response to Israel’s continued incursion into Lebanon, according to the Tasnim news agency on Monday. U.S President Donald Trump later said he spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hezbollah, who both agreed to stop exchanging fire. He also confirmed talks were resuming with Tehran.
“Due to the continuation of the Zionist regime’s [Israel] crimes in Lebanon and considering that Lebanon was one of the preconditions for the ceasefire and now this ceasefire has been violated on all fronts including Lebanon, the Iranian negotiating team will stop ‘talks and exchange of texts through mediation’,” said Tasnim’s report.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker and Tehran’s top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf had reacted strongly early Monday against Israel’s onslought against Lebanon.
Araghchi wrote on social media, “The ceasefire between Iran and the U.S. is unequivocally a ceasefire on all fronts, including in Lebanon. Its violation on one front is a violation of the ceasefire on all fronts. The US and Israel are responsible for the consequences of any violation.”
Ghalibaf also took to social media, stating, “The naval blockade and escalation of war crimes in Lebanon by the genocidal Zionist regime are clear evidence of U.S. noncompliance with the ceasefire. Every choice has a price, and the bill comes due. It will all fall into place.”
Hours later after Iran’s statement, Trump wrote on Truth Social that talks with Tehran were resuming “at a rapid pace” after his call with Netanyahu and Hezbollah.
“I had a very productive call with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, of Israel, and there will be no Troops going to Beirut, and any Troops that are on their way, have already been turned back,” he wrote “Likewise, through highly placed Representatives, I had a very good call with Hezbollah, and they agreed that all shooting will stop — That Israel will not attack them, and they will not attack Israel.”
