Tehran [Iran], June 18 (ANI): Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghaei in his interview with Al-Akhbar, said that the peace memorandum stipulates the other party’s guarantee of Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Al Akhbar is known to be sympathetic to Lebanon’s Hezbollah. In Iran’s view, this means the complete withdrawal of occupying forces from Lebanese territory, as Baghaei explains. He said that on non-fulfillment of the commitment, the memorandum will be ‘nullified,’ and subsequent negotiations will not lead to a final agreement unless there is a complete cessation of hostilities and an end to the occupation.
The Foreign Ministry spokesman also addressed the issue of Lebanon’s reconstruction, stating that ‘Iran is among the countries that have supported foreign investment in Lebanon’s reconstruction and played an active role in it. We are confident that Lebanon, with the return of security and stability, will once again become an attractive market for investment,’ he said,
During negotiations, Baghei said, that a partial end to the war was impossible.
‘We declared unequivocally that a When we speak of ending the war, it must end on all fronts and completely. This has been the principled position of the Islamic Republic of Iran since the beginning of the Islamabad negotiations, and we have emphasized it throughout the entire negotiation process. It was unacceptable for us to abandon our brothers in Lebanon,’ the spokesperson said.
He said that regarding Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, one cannot eliminate Lebanese territory controlled by Israel.
‘Regarding Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, as you know, by ending the war we mean a decisive and lasting cessation of hostilities. For this reason, we cannot speak of ending the war while parts of Lebanese territory remain under the occupation of the Zionist entity. As long as the occupation continues, it can be said that the war is still ongoing and has not ended in its essence. Therefore, we pursued the Lebanese file with great seriousness, with the dual objective of achieving a ceasefire and ending the occupation. This resulted in the mention of the State of Lebanon three times in the text, reflecting the paramount importance of Lebanon to us,’ he said.
When Baghaei was asked if Israel retains control over security zones within Lebanon, what would Iranian response be? He said that in such a case the MoU will remain null and void.
‘In this case, the Memorandum of Understanding would be considered null and void. When the other party guarantees Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, everything you mentioned constitutes a violation of this memorandum,’ he said.
‘As you know, after the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding, the second phase of our negotiations to reach a final agreement will begin. This final agreement will only be achieved if the Memorandum of Understanding is fully implemented, which, in the Lebanese context, from our perspective, means a complete cessation of hostilities and an end to the occupation,’ he added.
Baghaei said that with the return of stability, Lebanon will become an attractive investment market.
‘Iran has consistently supported foreign investment in Lebanon’s reconstruction and has played an active role in this area. We are confident that, with the return of security and stability, Lebanon will once again become an attractive market for investment,’ he said.
Baghaei said that Israel finds no mention in the MoU and they have only the end of the war and a pledge not to resume it in the peace deal.
‘Let me be clear: Israel is not mentioned by name in this memorandum of understanding. Iran’s position regarding the criminal nature of this entity remains unchanged. What we have before us is an understanding to end the war, and a pledge not to resume it, between Iran and its allies on one side, and the United States and its allies on the other,’ he said.
Baghaei said that American bases in the region serve no purpose other than protecting Israel and jeopardizing the security of the host countries.
‘The war has left bitter memories of our neighbors in the Persian Gulf. Being attacked in the middle of Ramadan from the territory of a neighboring Muslim country is something we cannot easily forget. The countries of the region could have prevented the United States from using their lands without restraint to launch attacks against a neighboring state. In any case, it has become clear that the American bases in the region serve no purpose other than protecting Israel and jeopardizing the security of the host countries. Today, we are talking about a ‘lost trust.’ The countries of the region must seize the opportunity to repair the crisis they themselves created,’ he said, as quoted by Al Akhbar.
Baghaei said that Iran views the United States with suspicion and distrust, and noted that they were attacked twice in between peace negotiations.
‘I leave it to you and your followers to judge what has changed. Generally speaking, Iran views the United States with suspicion and distrust, and I believe any observer would agree with this sentiment. We were attacked twice during negotiations, and both times, relying on our own capabilities, we managed to force the other side to back down. As you know, negotiations haven’t even begun yet, so we shouldn’t rush to predict the other side’s position,’ he said, as quoted by Al Akhbar.
Meanwhile, Presidents of both US and Iran- Donald Trump and Masoud Pezeshkian- had signed an agreement. The two leaders virtually signed a 14-point Memorandum of Understanding between the two countries.
The MoU is aimed at ending hostilities between the two countries, reopening the Strait of Hormuz, and launching a 60-day process to negotiate a final agreement on sanctions and Iran’s nuclear programme. (ANI)
