Lebanon Welcomes US-Iran Deal as Talks Turn to Israeli Pullout from the South

Lebanese residents began returning early Monday to villages and towns in southern Lebanon, even as the Lebanese army urged them to wait until the effect of the emerging US-Iran agreement on Lebanon becomes clearer. Lebanese officials quoted by the Qatari newspaper Al-Araby Al-Jadeed said they welcome the deal and hope it will lead to a full ceasefire in Lebanon.

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri also praised the agreement, saying the memorandum of understanding lays the groundwork for security and stability in the region. He thanked Tehran and Washington for insisting on a clause calling for an end to what he called Israeli aggression across Lebanon. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi separately demanded a complete halt to Israeli strikes in Lebanon and said the United States bears responsibility for implementing the agreement to end the war.

Lebanese sources said Hezbollah has committed to respecting the deal as long as the Israel Defense Forces stop firing. At the same time, Beirut plans to keep negotiating with Israel over the unresolved issues. Lebanon’s stated priority, once a comprehensive ceasefire is in place, is an Israeli withdrawal from the areas it still holds in southern Lebanon, which Lebanese officials described as essential for residents to return and for the Lebanese army to deploy and implement its plan to centralize all weapons under state control.

Negotiations in Washington are still underway and now focus on security arrangements, including support for the Lebanese army and guarantees that would prevent a return to the prewar situation. According to Al-Nidaa Al-Watan, meetings on June 22, 23 and 24 are expected to be among the most important since talks began, because they will move from general principles to implementation details. The paper said the main issues include Lebanese army deployment and the pilot-zone model, while Britain has re-entered the talks as a possible partner in a joint US-British presence in the yellow zone to help stabilize the area and accompany the Lebanese state’s forces.