Sources: Iran Wants to Include Lebanon in Any Ceasefire Agreement

SadaNews: Six informed regional sources reported that Iran has informed intermediaries of the necessity to include Lebanon in any ceasefire agreement with the United States and Israel, linking the end of the war to a cessation of the Israeli attacks on the Hezbollah group.

Iran's Press TV quoted an Iranian official saying that Tehran wants any agreement with the United States to lead to the end of the war on Iran and what he termed the "resistance groups" in the region.

A senior Iranian official told Reuters on Thursday that Tehran is still considering a U.S. proposal to end the regional war that has been raging for nearly a month, indicating that Tehran has not yet reached a definitive rejection of it.

The six regional sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, indicated that Tehran has been informing intermediaries since mid-March that it seeks an agreement that also halts Israeli attacks on the armed Lebanese Hezbollah group.

The party attacked Israel on March 2 in solidarity with Tehran, leading to an Israeli air and ground campaign in Lebanon.

A senior official in President Donald Trump's administration stated that ending "Iran's proxy activities" and disarming Hezbollah are "crucial for ensuring peace and stability in Lebanon and across the region."

One of the regional sources told Reuters that the Hezbollah group received "Iranian guarantees" regarding its inclusion in any broader agreement.

The source added, "Iran prioritizes Lebanon and will not accept Israeli violations there as happened after the ceasefire in 2024," referring to Israel's continued airstrikes on Lebanon despite the truce that ended the previous war between Hezbollah and Israel.

Hezbollah has long been a dominant force in Lebanon, but its influence has significantly waned following a violent Israeli attack in 2024, and the new Lebanese government imposed unprecedented demands for its disarmament and banned its military activities.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry stated, "Israel has not and will not negotiate with the terrorist Iranian regime."

A source familiar with Israel's military strategy indicated that its attacks on Hezbollah will likely continue following the air war with Iran, describing the two fronts as separate.

Four Lebanese sources noted that Hezbollah's calculations in entering the conflict were based on the survival of Iranian religious leaders after the war and on a ceasefire in the region that includes the Lebanese group.