Iran Signals It May Continue Attacks on Israel Even Amid U.S. Deal, Seeks to Split Negotiation Tracks
Iran has conveyed a message to the United States indicating it may continue launching attacks against Israel even if a separate agreement is reached with Washington, according to a diplomatic source cited Monday.
The report, published in the Lebanese newspaper Al-Jamhouria, said Tehran is seeking to create a distinction between its dealings with the U.S. and its ongoing conflict with Israel.
“The Iranian side delivered a message to Washington that if a solution does not include stopping the Israeli war on Lebanon and entering negotiations, Tehran will separate between the U.S. and Israel. That is, even if there is an agreement between Tehran and the United States, Iran will still launch missiles at Israel.”
The source added that as time goes on, additional players are becoming involved and influencing the course of negotiations, complicating efforts to reach a resolution.
He pointed specifically to developments in Lebanon and to threats by the Houthi rebels to shut down the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, warning that such a move “will inevitably lead to a rise in oil prices.”
“The raising of the level of military pressure will accelerate finding a way to stop the war,” he said. “Lebanon cannot do anything except wait.”
He further noted that multiple international actors are working behind the scenes to shape the negotiating landscape in Lebanon in hopes of achieving calm if an opportunity arises.
He said that France and Egypt are playing leading roles in these efforts, alongside a parallel Turkish-Saudi initiative aimed at ending the fighting in the region.
{Matzav.com}