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‘US must choose ceasefire or continue war via Israel’: Iran's Araghchi slams Israel attack on Lebanon
Araghchi was reacting to the Israeli attack in and around Beirut that killed dozens. Israeli PM Netanyahu said Lebanon strikes were not part of the ceasefire.
Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Wednesday hit out at the Israeli claims over its attacks on Lebanon, saying the US must choose ceasefire or continued war via Israel.
Araghchi was reacting to the Israeli attack in and around Beirut that killed over a hundred people. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said earlier that strikes on Lebanon were not part of the ceasefire plan.
“The Iran–U.S. Ceasefire terms are clear and explicit: the U.S. must choose—ceasefire or continued war via Israel. It cannot have both," Aragchi wrote in a post on X sharing a post by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif declaring the ceasefire.
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"The world sees the massacres in Lebanon. The ball is in the U.S. court, and the world is watching whether it will act on its commitments,” Araghchi added.
Pak PM declares immediate ceasefire
In Sharif's post that the Iranian foreign minister shared, the former said that Iran and the United States, along with their allies, agreed for an for immediate ceasefire effective immediately. The post was shared on Wednesday morning at 5.20 am.
Sharif also invited the delegations of both the sides to Islamabad on Friday for further negotiations.
Also read: Not consulted, informed late: Israel ‘unhappy’ over limited role in US-Iran truce
“I warmly welcome the sagacious gesture and extend deepest gratitude to the leadership of both the countries and invite their delegations to Islamabad on Friday, 10th April 2026, to further negotiate for a conclusive agreement to settle all disputes,” he wrote on X.
“Both parties have displayed remarkable wisdom and understanding and have remained constructively engaged in furthering the cause of peace and stability. We earnestly hope, that the ‘Islamabad Talks’ succeed in achieving sustainable peace and wish to share more good news in coming days!” he added.
However, just hours later, Sharif said that the ceasefire was violated in some areas in the conflict zone and called for restraint and let diplomacy lead to peaceful settlement of the war.
“Violations of ceasefire have been reported at few places across the conflict zone which undermine the spirit of peace process. I earnestly and sincerely urge all parties to exercise restraint and respect the ceasefire for two weeks, as agreed upon, so that diplomacy can take a lead role towards peaceful settlement of the conflict,” he wrote.
Attack on Lebanon without warning hours after ceasefire declaration
A few hours into the temporary ceasefire that the United States and Iran agreed upon, Israel launched a surprise attack on Lebanon on Wednesday, hitting commercial and residential areas in and around Beirut, killing at least 112 people and injuring hundreds others, according to a report by Associated Press.
Iran responded to the attack by closing the Strait of Hormuz again on Wednesday. A commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, Gen. Seyed Majid Mousavi, wrote on X that aggression towards Lebanon is “aggression towards Iran and warned of ”heavy response" without giving out much details.
