Hezbollah links an Iran-US nuclear agreement to an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon

The Lebanese movement Hezbollah stated on Tuesday that Iran will not sign a final nuclear agreement with the United States as long as Israel maintains its military presence in Lebanon. This statement comes amid ongoing regional tensions, despite a recent memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran.

According to Hezbollah, this position reflects the ongoing discussions surrounding the future of the Iranian nuclear agreement. The movement asserts that the issue of Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon is now indirectly linked to diplomatic negotiations between Iran and the United States.

For his part, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that ending the regional conflict must include the cessation of the Israeli military presence in the occupied areas of Lebanon. He described this presence as a violation of the terms of an agreement under discussion between Washington and Tehran.

Israel maintains troops in a strip of southern Lebanon, captured during military operations against Hezbollah following clashes that began in early March. The Shiite movement had launched attacks in support of Iran, triggering a military escalation in the region.

Fighting has subsided since the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran, but tensions remain high and sporadic incidents continue to be reported. Israel, for its part, maintains that its forces will remain deployed in southern Lebanon to ensure its security.

Hezbollah stated that it understands Iran might condition the continuation of negotiations with Washington on developments in Lebanon. The movement also claimed to have received assurances from Tehran that any violation of the ceasefire by Israel could have repercussions on the ongoing diplomatic discussions.

These statements illustrate the growing entanglement between nuclear negotiations and regional conflicts. While discussions between Iran and the United States are expected to continue in the coming days, the situation in Lebanon appears to be a potential obstacle to reaching a comprehensive agreement.