Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf says Iran is actively pursuing an end to the Lebanon war and safeguarding its territorial integrity, key elements of paragraph one of a recent memorandum of understanding with the United States.
Qalibaf, who also leads Iran’s negotiating team in talks with the US, made the remark in a telephone conversation with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri on Sunday as Israel continues its aerial attacks on Lebanon and is reportedly preparing for a long occupation of southern Lebanese territories.
“Our goal is to end the war in Lebanon, [help] return of refugees to their homes, end the occupation and [secure] withdrawal of the Zionist regime from Lebanese territory,” he said.
He reiterated Iran’s seriousness in pursuing the issue.
During talks in Switzerland, he explained, Iranian negotiators raised violations of the MoU in Lebanon and the parties subsequently agreed to establish a deconfliction unit comprising of Iran, the United States and Lebanon to monitor the implementation of the Lebanon-related paragraph of the understanding.
On July 17, Iran and the US signed the 14-point Pakistan-brokered MoU, which calls for a permanent end to hostilities across all fronts, including Lebanon, as well as the removal of the naval blockade on Iran within 30 days, and the restoration of commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
Under the MoU, the two sides have entered a 60-day negotiation period, with the goal of reaching a comprehensive final agreement.
Berri, for his part, commended the stance of Iran and efforts by the Iranian negotiating team to serve the interests of the Lebanese people during talks in Switzerland.
However, the Lebanese parliament speaker warned that the Zionist enemy seeks to circumvent the issue related to Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity under the Islamabad MoU through alternative means.
Berri described the Washington-brokered agreement between Lebanon and the Israeli regime as a conspiracy and sedition.
The Iranian and Lebanese parliament speakers emphasized the need for an early meeting of the deconfliction unit to help oversee implementation of the Islamabad-brokered MoU and end the war in Lebanon.
