Trump expects Iran deal within a week as Lebanon ceasefire faces strains
US President Donald Trump said he expects an agreement with Iran within the next week to extend the current ceasefire and pave the way for reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking to ABC News on Monday, Trump said negotiations were progressing despite what he described as a brief “glitch” linked to Iranian concerns over Israeli military actions in Lebanon.
Trump said a broader peace agreement with Iran could be “even better than a military victory,” acknowledging that negotiations remain complex but expressing confidence that both sides were moving toward an understanding.
He added that some issues still needed to be resolved before a final ceasefire extension and memorandum of understanding on the strategic waterway could be completed.
Trump claims Israel and Hezbollah agreed to halt attacks
In separate remarks, Trump said Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah group had agreed to stop hostilities following contacts facilitated through intermediaries.
According to Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu assured him that Israeli forces would not enter Beirut and that troops moving toward the Lebanese capital had been turned back.
Trump also said Hezbollah representatives had agreed to stop attacks on Israel, while Israel would halt strikes against the group.
However, he cautioned that the arrangement remained fragile, saying: “Let’s see how long that lasts.”
Despite a ceasefire that took effect in April and was later extended, Israel has continued military operations in Lebanon. Lebanese authorities say thousands have been killed since March and widespread damage has been inflicted on civilian infrastructure.
Iran blames US for ceasefire violations
Meanwhile, Iran’s Foreign Ministry accused the United States of bearing responsibility for the consequences of alleged Israeli ceasefire violations in Lebanon.
In a statement, Tehran said attacks on Lebanon and continued US actions against Iranian commercial shipping amounted to breaches of the ceasefire framework reached earlier this year.
The ministry argued that violations on any front constituted violations of the broader agreement and warned that Iran would defend its interests wherever necessary under international law.
While acknowledging that Washington had initially pressured Israel to curb attacks on Lebanon, Iran said the US remained directly responsible for both its own actions and those of Israel.
The statement comes amid heightened regional tensions and ongoing disputes between Tehran and Washington following the ceasefire agreement.
Source:AA
