Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf, head of Iran's negotiating team, said Wednesday that the first article of the US-Iran memorandum of understanding commits Washington to ending the war in Lebanon, enabling the return of displaced residents, and enforcing Lebanese sovereignty — and that further talks on the Strait of Hormuz will follow the MoU's terms. He warned that Iran is prepared for war if commitments are not kept.
Iran's top negotiator Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf reiterated Wednesday that the first article of the US-Iran memorandum of understanding commits Washington to ending the war in Lebanon, enabling the return of displaced residents, and enforcing Lebanese sovereignty — a statement he called a 'very great victory.' He added that further talks on the Strait of Hormuz will follow the MoU's terms, but warned that Iran is prepared for war if commitments are not kept. The remarks come after a similar statement Tuesday evening, when Qalibaf first cited Article 1 and warned of war, following a day in which the Iranian Foreign Ministry blocked IAEA inspectors and claimed a US commitment to end Lebanon hostilities — first reported by Asaf Rozentzweig (N12). Across the thread, Iran's position has hardened: on Tuesday, Qalibaf specified that progress to further articles depends on full implementation of Articles 1, 4, 5, 10, and 11. An Iranian official source later said Tehran is 'monitoring' implementation. The claim that the Lebanon article is finalized has been a consistent Iranian line since June 11, when Tehran asserted the text was complete and the US would compel Israel to end the war — a reading Israeli and US officials have not confirmed. As The Zioneer reported on June 15, Iran's Foreign Ministry warned that any violation of commitments would trigger countermeasures; a leaked Bloomberg memo from June 17 placed the Lebanon ceasefire as part of a broader US concession package including sanctions relief and a reconstruction fund. The Strait of Hormuz element, mentioned by Qalibaf, has been central to the MoU's maritime security provisions. To date, no confirmed implementation of the Lebanon article has been reported, and no direct US or Israeli confirmation of Iran's interpretation has been published. It remains unclear whether the MoU's text has been formally finalized or signed.
7 developments
- DevelopingQalibaf reasserts: ceasefire progress conditioned on full implementation of first five articles
- StrongIran warns US must enforce Lebanon ceasefire obligations from MoU
- DevelopingIran says Lebanon ceasefire text finalized, US will compel Israel to end war
- ConfirmedIranian advisor reveals main clauses of draft US-Iran agreement
Source and signal
- Internal intake