Iran presses US over Lebanon as Israeli strikes test fragile ceasefire and broader peace efforts.Published On 20 Jun 2026Iran says it is ready to move forward with diplomacy with the United States, but insists Washington must ensure Israel complies with the agreement to end the war. Tehran has repeatedly said the deal requires an end to hostilities across the region, including in Lebanon.The comments come as a US official told Reuters that Israel and Hezbollah have agreed to a ceasefire in Lebanon, despite reports of continued Israeli attacks. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the US has a “commitment and responsibility” to ensure the deal is upheld on all fronts.Here is what we know:In Iran:
Iran sees Lebanon as “a test” of US leverage over Israel: Muhanad Seloom of the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies said Tehran is watching whether the US can “actually control or rein in the Israeli side”, calling Lebanon “a test” of Washington’s influence. “If the United States is not able to stop Israel from attacking Lebanon,” he said, “who will guarantee that in the future Israel won’t attack Iran itself?” For Iran, he added, it is crucial to see whether the US can “guarantee that Israel will abide by the terms of any upcoming agreements”.
