The White House briefed Monday evening that an IDF withdrawal from southern Lebanon is not a precondition for the emerging US-Iran framework, and that if Hezbollah attacks, Israel retains its right to self-defense, according to the briefing.
A White House briefing Monday evening clarified the Biden administration's position on linkage between the emerging US-Iran framework and the northern front. According to the briefing, an Israeli military withdrawal from southern Lebanon is not a condition for the deal. The official added that if Hezbollah attacks, Israel retains the right to self-defense.
This statement follows a series of conflicting signals from Washington and Tehran over the past three days. On Sunday, Prime Minister Netanyahu reportedly informed President Trump that Israel does not consider itself bound by any Lebanon-related clause in the US-Iran agreement, as The Zioneer reported on June 14. Earlier Monday, Iran's Foreign Minister Araghchi stated that an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon is a condition for signing the memorandum of understanding, setting a Friday deadline.
A senior US official gave matching guidance on Friday, saying no country would waive its right to self-defense due to the Iran deal. The new briefing reinforces Washington's line that the two dossiers — Iran and Lebanon — are being handled separately, and that Israel's operational freedom on the northern front remains intact. It does not, however, address whether Iran's stated precondition has been resolved, and no full text of the emerging framework has been published.
3 developments
- DevelopingSenior US official: Israel won't be asked to leave Lebanon until final Iran-Lebanon deal — at least 60 days
- DevelopingTrump Says He Does Not Demand Lebanon Be Part of Iran Agreement
- DevelopingUS official: Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon not a condition for Iran deal, self-defense right retained
- StrongTrump says he hopes the Lebanon situation can be resolved, acknowledges Hezbollah
Source and signal
- Internal intake