TEHRAN – Iran said there has been no recent progress in talks with the United States over an interim peace deal, while fighting persisted in Lebanon despite Washington’s declaration of a ceasefire between Israel and the country.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said late on June 3 that “no tangible progress has been achieved in the negotiation process” with the US, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.
His comments came as the US and Iran struggle to finalise the details of a deal that is meant to see the sides extend their truce by two months and Iran reopen the Strait of Hormuz to commercial ships.
Tensions remain high, and the sides saw their worst skirmishes this week since the ceasefire took hold on April 8.
Early on June 3, Iran fired missiles and drones at Kuwait and Bahrain, injuring scores of people and killing one person at Kuwait’s main airport, after the US struck an oil tanker headed towards Iran.
Still, both Iran and the US broadly say the talks are ongoing and signal they want to reach a deal, which would lead to more and complicated discussions on Tehran’s nuclear programme.
Oil prices dipped slightly early on June 4, with Brent trading 0.8 per cent lower at US$97.09 (S$124.61) a barrel.
Late on June 3, the US said Israel and Lebanon agreed to a ceasefire if Hezbollah also stops fighting and withdraws militants from areas near the border with Israel.
The agreement would require the Lebanese army to take over after a withdrawal by Israeli troops, a test of the local military’s ability to keep Hezbollah out.
It was the latest attempt by US President Donald Trump to keep peace talks with Iran on track and de-escalate tensions in Lebanon, where Israel is fighting the Tehran-backed militant group.
Iran insists a deal with the US requires a ceasefire in Lebanon, but Trump said he would like to keep the two separate.
Yet, clashes continued in southern Lebanon, much of which is now occupied by Israel, overnight. There were no reports of Hezbollah attacks into northern Israel since the ceasefire announcement.
The White House said the Lebanon agreement was contingent on “a complete cessation” of attacks by Hezbollah.
“In that part of the world, ceasefire is when you’re shooting in a more moderate manner,” Trump said on June 3 in reference to the broader Middle East.
“Israel and Lebanon reaffirmed that they have no hostile intent toward one another and committed to continuing direct negotiations to build confidence, resolve all outstanding issues, and work toward a comprehensive agreement between the two countries,” according to the statement.
There was no immediate indication whether Hezbollah had accepted the agreement. Trump earlier this week said he spoke with representatives of Hezbollah, and they agreed all shooting would stop.
Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz said Israel would continue to carry out operations in Lebanon for now.
Katz said in a statement Israel’s military would remain in swathes of southern Lebanon it is occupying as part of a “buffer zone” meant to protect northern Israeli communities from Hezbollah attacks.
Hundreds of thousands of Lebanese residents, forced from their homes in the south by Israel’s military since fighting began in March, would also not be allowed to return, he said.
Israel would also continue to “dismantle terrorist infrastructure in the area”, Katz said.
He added that Israel has “freedom of action, backed by the US, to strike in Beirut in response to attacks on Israeli communities and territory”.
In Washington, Trump was dealt a blow when the Republican-led House of Representatives voted on June 3 to halt the US war, underscoring the political anxieties over an unpopular foreign conflict that is taking an escalating economic toll on Americans – five months before midterm elections decide control of Congress.
The House vote will not end the US military campaign against Iran, but it marks the latest in a series of setbacks for a president who has bent Congress to his will for most of his second term.
The war and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz have sent global energy prices soaring. That has fuelled inflation, eroding Americans’ purchasing power ahead of November’s midterm elections, which could determine whether Republicans retain control of Congress.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump has privately told aides he would consider ending the ceasefire with Iran if Tehran kills American troops.
The president, however, is reluctant to reignite the conflict and could overlook smaller flare-ups for weeks to avoid a broader regional war, the Journal reported, citing unidentified US officials.
No US troops were reported to have been hurt in this week’s attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait, which host thousands of American service members.
Earlier on June 3, Trump spoke with Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani of Qatar, according to the state-run Qatar News Agency, with the emir highlighting “the importance of prioritising political and diplomatic solutions and dialogue between all parties”. BLOOMBERG