Iran Halts Indirect Talks with US Over Lebanon Attacks

Iran’s negotiating team is stopping exchanges of messages with the United States through mediators, Tasnim reported on Monday, citing attacks in Lebanon as diplomatic efforts continue to end the three-month-old war involving Iran.

The Iranian news agency said Tehran and the Resistance Front, which includes its Shiite allies in Yemen, Lebanon and Iraq, had set an agenda to completely block the Strait of Hormuz and activate other fronts, including the Bab al-Mandab Strait, in order to “punish” Israel and its supporters.

If the Houthis, Iran’s allies in Yemen, open a new front in the conflict, one obvious target would be the Bab al-Mandab Strait off the coast of Yemen, a key shipping chokepoint and narrow passage controlling sea traffic towards the Suez Canal.

“Violation on one front is a violation of the ceasefire on all fronts. The US and Israel are responsible for the consequences of any violation”, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on X on Monday, referring to Israeli operations in Lebanon.

Israel says its latest operations in Lebanon were a response to repeated Hezbollah violations of the ceasefire, including rocket and drone attacks on Israeli towns and civilians.

(reuters, bak)