Dubai, UAE — Iran’s chief negotiator, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, accused the United States of either lacking the willingness or the ability to uphold commitments after Israel struck Beirut’s southern suburbs on Sunday.
In a message posted on X, Qalibaf said the attack demonstrated that Washington could not expect progress in negotiations if it was unable to ensure commitments were honoured, casting fresh doubt over the future of ongoing talks.
His remarks came as Iranian officials confirmed that a proposed memorandum of understanding with the United States remains under legal and technical review, indicating that a widely anticipated signing is not yet imminent.
Israel Hits Hezbollah Targets in Beirut
Israel said its military carried out strikes against Hezbollah targets in Beirut’s southern suburbs, known as Dahiyeh, after what it described as Hezbollah launches towards Israeli territory.
The Israeli military said it had struck infrastructure used by Hezbollah, while Lebanese authorities reported casualties following the attack. Lebanon’s civil defence agency said three people were killed and six wounded after a strike in the Ghobeiry district.
Israeli officials said the operation was conducted in response to attacks from Lebanon, while local residents reported explosions across the southern suburbs of the capital.
Trump Calls Attack Unhelpful
US President Donald Trump criticised the timing of the strike, saying it “should not have happened” given the proximity of a possible agreement with Iran.
While reiterating Israel’s right to self-defence, Trump argued that the incident prompting the response was insufficient to justify jeopardising efforts aimed at securing a broader regional settlement.
He called on all parties, including Israel and Hezbollah, to halt attacks and avoid further escalation.
Fears of Wider Escalation
The Israeli military said it was preparing for possible retaliatory fire in the hours following the Beirut operation.
Iranian military officials also issued warnings, with senior commander Mohammad Jafar Asadi saying the attack would not go unanswered.
The exchange has heightened concerns that a conflict centred on Lebanon could spill over into wider regional tensions at a delicate moment for diplomacy.
Mediators Race to Preserve Talks
A Qatari delegation arrived in Tehran to continue mediation efforts as negotiators seek to keep channels open despite the latest violence.
Diplomatic sources cited by international media said the Beirut strikes risk complicating final efforts to secure an agreement between Tehran and Washington, although mediators remain engaged.
Former US president Barack Obama also weighed in on the negotiations, arguing that any eventual accord is unlikely to differ significantly from the 2015 nuclear agreement and that diplomacy remains preferable to another regional war.
