A senior Iranian official stated Friday that Iran supports Lebanon's efforts in ceasefire negotiations with Israel, emphasizing Tehran's interest in ending a conflict that has significantly impacted its ally Hezbollah. The talks took place as Israel's air force hit Hezbollah-controlled areas of the Lebanese capital.
Ali Larijani, an adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, visited Lebanon as U.S.-led efforts continue to end the 13-month war that escalated in September, the Associated Press reported. The war further spreaded to southern and eastern Lebanon and parts of Beirut's southern suburbs.
On Thursday, the U.S. ambassador to Lebanon presented a draft truce proposal to Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who has Hezbollah's backing to lead negotiations, according to two senior Lebanese political sources cited by Reuters. This marked Washington's first written effort in weeks to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. The proposal's details remain undisclosed.
Larijani told reporters that Berri had provided him with "good clarifications," adding: "We are not looking to sabotage anything."
"We are after a solution to the problems. We support in all circumstances the Lebanese government. Those who are disrupting are Netanyahu and his people," Larijani said, referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Meanwhille, a 10 elected members of the U.N. Security Council have proposed a draft resolution calling for "an immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire" in Gaza. Sent to the council's five permanent members on Thursday, the resolution reiterates demands for the "immediate and unconditional release" of all hostages taken during Hamas' October 7, 2023, attacks in southern Israel. Israel reports that around 100 individuals are still held captive, though not all are confirmed to be alive.
The draft resolution reflects an agreement reached by Ecuador, Japan, Malta, Mozambique, Switzerland, Algeria, Guyana, South Korea, Sierra Leone, and Slovenia.
The Israel-Hamas war started on October 7, 2023, when Palestinian militants launched a deadly attack in Israel, killing nearly 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 250 others. In response, Lebanon's Hezbollah joined the conflict on October 8, firing into Israel in solidarity with Hamas.
Over the past 13 months, Israel's military campaign in Gaza has resulted in more than 43,000 Palestinian deaths, predominantly women and children, according to local health authorities who do not differentiate between civilians and combatants. In Israel, 76 people have been killed, including 31 soldiers.
