Hopes for a peace deal between Iran and the United States have been thrown into doubt after fresh violence in Lebanon, with Tehran saying there is “no point” in continuing talks under current conditions, according to Mehr News Agency.
On Sunday, Iranian officials sharply criticized Washington following Israeli airstrikes in Beirut’s southern suburbs, an area linked to the Iran-backed group Hezbollah. The strikes came just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump had suggested that an agreement to end the wider Middle East conflict could be signed as early as the same day.
Iran’s chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, accused the United States of failing to uphold its commitments. Writing on social media, he said the latest attack showed that Washington either lacked the will or the ability to follow through on its promises. Without that trust, he added, continuing negotiations made little sense.
The conflict has grown increasingly complex, with multiple fronts stretching across the region. Iran has insisted that any deal must also address the fighting in Lebanon, where Hezbollah has been engaged in cross-border clashes with Israel. A previous Israeli strike on Beirut had already triggered a retaliatory missile barrage from Iran, raising fears of further escalation.
Despite public optimism from Washington, signals from Tehran have been more cautious. Iranian officials said no final decision on the proposed deal had yet been made, though they did not rule out an agreement in the coming days. A delegation from Qatar, one of the key mediators, arrived in Tehran on Sunday in an effort to help bridge the remaining gaps.
At the heart of the dispute are several major issues. One is control of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route. Iran has imposed restrictions on the passage of vessels, requiring ships to seek permission and pay tolls, a move that has shaken global markets. The United States has rejected this position and responded with its own measures targeting Iranian ports.
Another major sticking point is Iran’s nuclear program. Tehran insists its activities are peaceful and has proposed diluting its stockpile of enriched uranium within the country. The United States and its allies, however, want the material removed and destroyed, arguing it poses a serious security risk.
Meanwhile, violence on the ground continues. Israel said it carried out strikes in Beirut targeting Hezbollah infrastructure after drones were launched toward its territory. Lebanese authorities reported casualties, including deaths and injuries, in the affected areas.
Iran has vowed that the latest attacks will not go unanswered, adding to fears that the fragile path toward peace may be slipping further away as each new strike deepens mistrust and raises the stakes for all sides involved.
