Vance warns Iran: choose peace or escalation in Lebanon
US Vice President JD Vance (photo: Getty Images)
US Vice President JD Vance said that Washington and Israel did not promise a ceasefire in Lebanon as part of agreements with Iran. According to him, any claims to the contrary are propaganda or mistakes that can be called "dumb," Al Jazeera reports.
The situation around the two-week ceasefire has escalated after conflicting reports from mediators. Pakistan, which helped in the negotiations, directly stated that Lebanon is part of the agreement. However, the White House denies this information, the agency emphasizes.
Vance warned Tehran that derailing a major deal over the situation in a neighboring country would be a strategic mistake.
"If Iran wants to let this negotiation fall apart – in a conflict where they were getting hammered – over Lebanon, which has nothing to do with them and which the United States never once said was part of the ceasefire, that's ultimately their choice," said JD Vance.
The vice president added: "We think that would be dumb, but that's their choice."
According to the American official, the Iranian side may have become a victim of its own illusion. Vance called contradictions a "legitimate misunderstanding."
He suggested that Iranians simply "thought" that the ceasefire extended to Lebanon. At the same time, he did not rule out deliberate disinformation and "bad faith propaganda."
How Iran responded to the "misunderstanding"
Tehran, in turn, is taking an aggressive stance. Foreign Minister of Iran Abbas Araghchi has already put forward a demand to Washington. He refers to a statement by Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif, where Lebanon was indeed mentioned.
"The Iran-US ceasefire terms are clear and explicit: the US must choose – ceasefire or continued war via Israel. It cannot have both," Araghchi said.
The Iranian side is already hinting at a military response. Official statements from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) speak of a duty "response to the evil aggressors" if attacks on Lebanon do not stop.
While diplomats argue, escalation continues on the ground. In just 10 minutes on Wednesday, Israel carried out about 100 strikes on targets in Lebanon. Hundreds of deaths are reported.
Vance noted that Israel only promised to show some restraint in Lebanon. This was done voluntarily so as not to disrupt the main track of negotiations with the United States. However, Jerusalem did not take on any official obligations regarding Lebanese territory.
Situation around Iran
After a massive Israeli strike on Lebanon, Iran once again blocked the Strait of Hormuz. Before the strikes on the same day, two oil tankers were able to pass through the Strait with permission from Tehran. But now, vessel traffic is completely halted.
In response, Donald Trump issued another ultimatum regarding the Strait of Hormuz. The United States leader demands the restoration of oil tanker traffic and wants Tehran to stop charging money for the passage of vessels.
Meanwhile, in Israel, it was confirmed that the ceasefire between the United States and Iran in no way applies to combat operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon. Therefore, fighting there will continue.
"We are prepared to return to combat at any moment required. Our finger remains on the trigger," said Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu.
