Iran war day 110: Tehran says Israeli attacks on Lebanon threaten US deal

Iran has accused Israel of repeatedly violating the Lebanon truce linked to its agreement with the United States, warning that continued attacks could trigger a “harsh response” from Tehran.

The accusations come after Israeli strikes killed four people in southern Lebanon.

On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump publicly criticised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, urging him to be “more responsible” in Lebanon.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has insisted that any final agreement with Washington must include sanctions relief, the release of frozen Iranian assets and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon.

Here is what we know:

In Iran

• Iran says Lebanon is central to any deal: Reporting from Tehran, Al Jazeera’s Tohid Asadi said Iranian officials have consistently maintained that a ceasefire across the region, particularly in Lebanon, is “part and parcel” of any agreement with the US.
• Third Iranian oil tanker exits blockade line: TankerTrackers said the Sonia I, carrying one million barrels of Iranian crude, sailed past the US Navy’s “blockade line” in the Gulf of Oman at 01:11 GMT. It follows the passage of two other Iranian tankers carrying a combined 3.8 million barrels, as Tehran says its agreement with Washington includes an immediate end to the US naval blockade on Iranian ports.

War diplomacy

• Analyst warns Lebanon fighting could derail US-Iran deal: Doug Bandow, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute and former aide to US President Ronald Reagan, said any agreement could unravel unless Washington exerts “real pressure” on Israel to end its attacks in Lebanon. While the US has significant leverage through its military and financial support for Israel, Bandow argued that no American president has been willing to withhold that support for long. “If Trump does not apply real pressure, if he can’t find a way to do so, it’s going to turn out to be theatrics,” he said. “And the Iranians are not likely to find that satisfactory. It could blow up the agreement.”
• Carney calls US-Iran deal a ‘game changer’: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he had reviewed a copy of the preliminary agreement and described it as having “exceeded my expectations”. “We’re very pleased with the deal that’s been struck,” he told CNN, though the terms have not been made public.

In the US

• Vance says Iran can reap ‘real benefits’ if it complies: US Vice President JD Vance said the agreement is “very simple”, Iran cannot obtain a nuclear weapon, the Strait of Hormuz must remain open and Tehran can receive “real benefits” if it “behaves”. “If they stop funding terrorism … they actually can get some real benefits. If they don’t do any of that stuff, they don’t get anything,” he said, adding: “The United States wins either way.”