Khamenei ties US-Iran peace deal to Israel ending attacks on Lebanon | US-Israel war on Iran News
Iran’s Supreme Leader Links U.S. Peace to Israeli Attacks on Lebanon
Published July 26, 2026
Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei stated that peace between Tehran and Washington is contingent upon Israel ceasing its military actions against Lebanon. Khamenei communicated this position in a post on X on Sunday.
“Iran has designated the preservation of Lebanon’s territorial integrity and the absolute, unconditional termination of the Zionist regime’s aggression as the primary condition for any agreement to end the imposed war against the aggressive U.S.,” he wrote.
Khamenei also expressed support for Hezbollah, its former leader Hassan Nasrallah, and the people of southern Lebanon, who have been primarily affected by the ongoing hostilities. He emphasized that defending Hezbollah is a strategic mandate for Iran.
This statement from Khamenei coincides with reports of a pause in attacks and renewed diplomatic efforts between the U.S. and Iran. Iran has long insisted that a cessation of Israeli strikes on Lebanon is a prerequisite for concluding the war, a demand that was part of the Memorandum of Understanding signed in June. That agreement has since unraveled due to disputes over the Strait of Hormuz.
Lebanon became embroiled in the conflict in March after Hezbollah launched strikes on northern Israel, citing the killing of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on the war’s first day, February 28, and Israel’s ongoing bombardment of Lebanese territory, which Hezbollah claims violated a ceasefire established after previous hostilities in 2024.
On June 26, following the signing of the U.S.-Iran MoU, Lebanon and Israel agreed to a U.S.-mediated framework for a phased Israeli withdrawal from occupied Lebanese territory, but no timeline was provided. The framework states that Israel will withdraw only once Hezbollah disarms. Both Iran and Hezbollah have rejected this agreement.
The initial phase of the withdrawal involves Israeli forces vacating three designated “pilot zones.” However, the Lebanese army reported on Sunday that Israeli forces are obstructing this process, continuing to conduct operations in areas that should have been relinquished.
As of Sunday, Israeli forces remain active in southern Lebanon, engaging in bulldozing, shelling, and combing operations. The conflict has resulted in the deaths of at least 4,329 individuals, including 37 Israeli soldiers and four Israeli civilians.
The UN peacekeepers reported that Israel violated a previous ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel over 10,000 times.
Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, assumed his role after the U.S. and Israel’s assassination of his father. His remarks regarding Lebanon come amid escalating violence that has spread to Yemen, where exchanges of attacks have been reported between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia.
