Iran FM warns any attack on Beirut will trigger 'full-scale resumption of war'

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi issued a stark warning Wednesday: any Israeli attack on Beirut will ignite a "full-scale resumption" of the Middle East war. The statement comes as Israel continues its military campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon, a conflict Iran has linked directly to its own confrontation with Israel and the United States.

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Any attack on Beirut will have grave consequences and will lead to a full-scale resumption of the war.

Araghchi emphasized the intertwined nature of the conflicts, telling Lebanon's Al Mayadeen TV that "the fate of the war between Iran and the Zionists (Israel) and Americans is inseparable from the fate of the battle in Lebanon." He asserted that Iran's armed forces are prepared to strike Israel if Beirut is targeted, underscoring the high stakes for the region.

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The fate of the war between Iran and the Zionists (Israel) and Americans is inseparable from the fate of the battle in Lebanon, and these two fronts have been intertwined since day one.

His comments preceded a second day of direct talks between Israeli and Lebanese diplomats in Washington, part of ongoing efforts to de-escalate the broader Middle East war that began when Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel in retaliation for the killing of Iran's supreme leader. Hezbollah has expressed strong opposition to these direct negotiations.

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Iran's armed forces are ready to strike Israel if it attacks Beirut.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking ahead of the talks, reiterated his goal, shared with U.S. leadership, "to disarm Hezbollah and... to demilitarize Lebanon." Araghchi, however, insisted that a resolution in Lebanon must include the withdrawal of Israeli forces from occupied territories, stating, "The end of the war in Lebanon also means the end of the occupation."

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The end of the war in Lebanon also means the end of the occupation. That is, the end of the war must be accompanied by the withdrawal of the Zionist regime's forces from the areas they have occupied.