Khamenei ties US understanding to Lebanon sovereignty
Shafaq News- Tehran (Updated at 23:01)
Tehran placed the preservation of Lebanon's territorial integrity and a complete end to Israeli attacks at the top of the conditions for reaching an understanding with Washington, Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said on Sunday in a message to Lebanon's Hezbollah.
Meanwhile, Al-Arabia media outlet reported, citing sources, that Tehran had informed Pakistani officials it had not withdrawn from negotiations with Washington but had suspended them, reaffirming its readiness to resume talks under the memorandum of understanding signed by the two sides.
Refuting the report, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said in a statement that Tehran and Washington were continuing to exchange messages through mediators, adding that "the mediators are doing their job," without elaborating on the status of any formal negotiations.
Read more: US-Iran ceasefire deal leaves Lebanon without guarantees
Earlier today, media outlets said that the United States and Iran submitted their responses to a proposal put forward by Pakistan and Qatar aimed at restarting negotiations following a period of heightened tensions between the two countries.
On June 26, Lebanon and Israel reached a framework agreement after five rounds of negotiations. The deal provides for the disarmament of Hezbollah, the “redeployment” of Israeli forces, and the deployment of the Lebanese Army beginning in two pilot zones.
