Tehran says it will suspend exchanging messages with Washington because the US is not forcing Israel to comply with the ceasefire in Lebanon.
“Due to the continuation of the Zionist regime’s actions in Lebanon and given that Lebanon was one of the preconditions of the ceasefire and that this ceasefire has now been violated on all fronts, Iran’s semiofficial Tasmin news agency reported Monday. “The Iranian negotiating team will suspend ‘talks and the exchange of texts through mediators.’”
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on X that the ceasefire must apply to all fronts of the war and that “the US and Israel are responsible for the consequences of any violation.”
Trump said that he was unconcerned if Iran breaks off talks and will wait out Tehran. “I think we’ve been talking too much if you want to know the truth. I think going silent would be very good, and that could be that could be for a long time,” the President told Garrett Haake. “It doesn’t mean we’re going to go and start dropping bombs all over there. We’ll just go silent. We’ll keep the blockade. Blockade is a piece of steel.”
In April, the US and Iran agreed to a ceasefire brokered by Pakistan. That truce was intended to cover all warring parties, including Lebanon. However, after agreeing to the ceasefire, Washington and Tel Aviv claimed that it did not cover Israeli military operations in Lebanon.
Israel went to war with Hezbollah following the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. During the conflict, Israel assassinated several top members of the group’s leadership, including with the pager terrorist attack.
In November 2024, Hezbollah and Israel agreed to a ceasefire. While the Lebanese group halted attacks on Israel, the IDF continued to occupy and attack Lebanon. Following the US and Israeli surprise attack on Iran in February, Hezbollah broke its truce with Israel.
Israel has ramped up attacks and expanded its control over southern Lebanon. Israel has declared the region a security zone, and the IDF has taken positions north of the Latani River. On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered strikes on Beirut.
Iran announced it was cutting off communication with the US as multiple media outlets were reporting that Washington and Tehran were nearing the signing of a memorandum of understanding to end the war.
