Ghalibaf Emphasizes Lebanon Ceasefire’s Critical Importance
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran’s prominent Parliament Speaker, has conveyed to his Lebanese counterpart that a ceasefire in Lebanon holds “as much importance” as one in Iran. This statement was shared via a Telegram post.
During ongoing discussions aimed at ending the conflict between Iran and the United States, Ghalibaf stated on Thursday that Tehran has been “striving to compel our enemies to establish a permanent ceasefire in all the conflict zones, in accordance with the agreement.” He further elaborated on a phone conversation with Lebanon’s Nabih Berri, saying, “For us, a ceasefire in Lebanon is just as important as a ceasefire in Iran.”
Ghalibaf led the Iranian delegation at the inaugural US-Iran meeting in Pakistan last week, which concluded without a definitive agreement. Tehran has consistently maintained that any ceasefire in the Iran war must also extend to Lebanon, a point that the US and Israel reportedly dispute as not being part of the existing deal.
Lebanese Displacement and Israeli Actions Highlighted
The Telegram post also quoted Ghalibaf as assuring Berri that Iranians “have never forgotten our Lebanese brothers and consider them to be among us.” In response, the Lebanese parliament speaker detailed recent Israeli attacks on Lebanon, informing Ghalibaf that approximately 1.2 million Lebanese people have been displaced by the ongoing fighting.
Berri was quoted saying, “Israel is literally committing crimes in our country and seeking to displace Lebanese people.” He further asserted that “Any official communication and consultation with the Zionist regime [Israel] is definitely not in the interests of the Lebanese people,” while expressing appreciation for Iran’s efforts in securing a ceasefire for Lebanon.
Escalation and Diplomatic Efforts
Lebanon became involved in the US-Israel conflict with Iran on March 2, following rocket fire by Tehran-aligned Hezbollah towards Israel. Hezbollah stated these attacks were in retaliation for Israel’s alleged killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on February 28, the first day of the war, and for Israel’s near-daily violations of a ceasefire agreed upon in Lebanon in November 2024.
Since then, Israeli forces have reportedly caused more than 2,000 fatalities in Lebanon.
In a significant development late on Wednesday, US President Donald Trump announced that the leaders of Israel and Lebanon would engage in direct talks for the first time in 34 years on Thursday. While an Israeli official confirmed these reports, the Lebanese government has yet to issue a comment.
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