English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News
& Editorials
For June 02/2026
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
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Bible Quotations For today
Go into all the
world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation. The one who believes and
is baptized will be saved; but the one who does not believe will be condemned.
Mark 16/15-20: “‘Go into all the world and proclaim the good news
to the whole creation. The one who believes and is baptized will be saved; but
the one who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany
those who believe: by using my name they will cast out demons; they will speak
in new tongues; they will pick up snakes in their hands, and if they drink any
deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and
they will recover.’ So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was
taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out
and proclaimed the good news everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and
confirmed the message by the signs that accompanied it.
Titles For Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related
News & Editorials published on 01-02 June/2026
A Spiritual Summit in Preparation... Composed, Written, Directed,
Financed, and Performed by Berri, Jumblatt, and Other Failed Figures of
Power/Elias Bejjani/May 31/ 2026
Jumblatt and Berri are more dangerous than Hezbollah and even the devil
himself./Elias Bejjani/May 30/2026
The Absurdity of the Salam Government’s Crocodile Tears Over Beaufort Castle and
Tyre’s Ruins—While Hezbollah Turned Them Into Military Barracks and
Warehouses/Elias Bejjani/May 29/2026
Netanyahu: We Will Strike Beirut if Hezbollah Doesn't Stop Its Attacks
Trump: We Agreed with Israel and Hezbollah on a Ceasefire
Trump says Israel, Lebanon’s Hezbollah agree to halt fightingUnited States Of
America
Israel says ‘no calm in Beirut’ unless Hezbollah stops attacks
Hezbollah has not committed to halting north Israel attacks: Source
Hezbollah says still fighting Israeli troops near south Lebanon’s Beaufort
castle
Lebanese Source Confirms Failure of Efforts Between Beirut and Washington
Israel Warns Residents of Beirut's Southern Suburbs to Evacuate
Critical long-term decision facing Iran and the US
Iranian Sources: Tehran Halts Communication with Washington Due to Lebanon
Iran Warns Israelis: You Will Be Attacked if Beirut is Targeted
US Ceasefire Proposal: Hezbollah Attacks Halted in Exchange for Israeli Calm
US Proposal for a Ceasefire: Hezbollah Halts Attacks in Exchange for Israeli
De-escalation
Netanyahu and Katz Order Israeli Army to Target the Southern Suburbs
The Green Light Has Been Given… Netanyahu Directs the Army to Target Beirut's
Southern Suburbs.Netanyahu Mourns Soldier Killed in Southern Lebanon Battles,
Affirms Fighting Will Continue Until Objectives Are Achieved
Katz: No Calm in Beirut Without Northern Israel
Araghchi Warns US and Israel of Consequences of Escalation in Lebanon
Qalibaf on the escalation of the Israeli war on Lebanon: The price will
inevitably be paid
Baqai: Ceasefire in Lebanon is an integral part of any agreement to end the war
Beirut's Southern Suburbs Under Threat… Beirut on High Alert as Intensified
Israeli Flights Exacerbate Tensions
Israel's Eye on Naim Qassem… and the Southern Suburbs Under the Microscope of
Escalation
Washington Links Escalation to Lebanese Measures: Calls for Broader Domestic
Action Against Hezbollah
The Escalation Expands from the South to the Dahiyeh... while Lebanon Holds to
Negotiation Despite Wideness of Raids
The Truce in Lebanon: The Dahiyeh is No Longer "Immune" and Israel Threatens to
Strike It
Guarantees to Neutralize the Dahiyeh Collapse: Will Iran Act?
Saudi Arabia condemns Israeli attacks on Lebanon, rejects territorial incursions
Lebanon’s Beaufort castle, a strategic landmark seized by Israel
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous
Reports And News published
on 01-02 June/2026
EU’s Kallas says Pakistan helped avert US-Iran war, offers support for lasting
peace deal
Iran warns US ceasefire at risk, threatens new attacks on Israel
Mutual US-Iranian Attacks and Trump: "Iran Wants a Deal"
Iran eyes limited US deal to relieve economic strain and buy time
The War on Iran: Negotiations to End the War Falter
British Agency: Explosion on a Ship Near Um Qasr, Investigations Underway
US Military: We Intercepted Two Iranian Ballistic Missiles Targeting Our Forces
in Kuwait
Trump now says US left Iran’s military ‘alone’ after weeks of boasting that he
destroyed its forces
Ceasefire very likely to end if Israeli attacks on Lebanon persist, Iranian TV
says
Trump says he ‘couldn’t care less’ about Iran peace: ‘Oil will be dropping like
a rock’
Titles For The Latest
English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published
on 01-02 June/2026
Turkey's Palestinian State Fantasy After
October 7, 2023/Khaled Abu Toameh/Gatestone Institute/June 01/2026
6 Essential Requirements for a Good Iran Nuclear Deal/Andrea Stricker/FDD/June
01/2026
Iran Thinks It Can Still Pull Off One Last Trick...Trump Has Iran on the ropes.
Now he must resist the bad deal./Mark Dubowitz/The Daily Wire/June 01/2026
Selected Face Book & X tweets on 01 June/2026
on 01-02 June/2026
A Spiritual Summit in
Preparation... Composed, Written, Directed, Financed, and Performed by Berri,
Jumblatt, and Other Failed Figures of Power
Elias Bejjani/May 31/ 2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/05/154956/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEJujefuS4w
There is
little doubt that the sudden call for a spiritual summit did not come out of
nowhere. It was not the result of a national or religious awakening among those
in power. The timing, circumstances, and forces behind it suggest that it is
another political attempt led, directly or indirectly, by Nabih Berri and Walid
Jumblatt, who are facing an unprecedented crisis of trust within their Shiite
and Druze communities.
Many things have changed in Lebanon in recent years. The aura that surrounded
sectarian leaders and party bosses for decades has started to fade. Fear and
political glorification are no longer as strong as before. Social media and the
flow of information, documents, and facts have made corruption, political
favoritism, and dependency major topics of daily discussion, even within
communities that were once closed to criticism and accountability.
In this context, Berri and Jumblatt appear to understand the decline in their
public image. Many people blame Berri for protecting the system of corruption
and power-sharing and for aligning with Hezbollah, policies that contributed to
Lebanon’s collapse and repeated conflicts. Jumblatt, meanwhile, faces growing
criticism over his political shifts, alliances, and support for Hezbollah’s
weapons, positions that many opponents believe contradict the aspirations of the
Druze community in Lebanon, Syria, and Israel.
More importantly, a growing number of Lebanese, including Shiites and Druze, are
asking serious questions about the relationship between the traditional
political class and Hezbollah’s regional project, as well as the concessions
made at the expense of Lebanon’s sovereignty and independence. For many
observers, the call for a spiritual summit is an attempt to restore lost
political and moral legitimacy for those in power, especially Berri and Jumblatt,
or at least to reduce the growing opposition they face within their own
communities.
For this reason, it is difficult to separate this summit from political
calculations. Lebanon’s long experience with so-called “spiritual summits” does
not inspire optimism. Most of these meetings have served as religious cover for
political deals or as attempts to provide moral legitimacy to decisions already
made by political leaders. Even worse, they have often been used to justify
various forms of foreign domination and political control.
At the same time, one positive development in Lebanese political life is that
more citizens are gradually freeing themselves from blind loyalty to sectarian
leaders and party establishments. Although this awareness is still developing,
social media has helped expose many realities that were once hidden behind
political patronage and partisan loyalty.
Many members of the traditional political establishment now seem aware of the
decline in their credibility. After decades of political dominance and monopoly
over representation, difficult questions are being asked openly, and corruption,
failure, and regional dependency have become regular topics of public debate.
This brings us back to the upcoming spiritual summit. The key question is: What
have previous spiritual summits actually achieved for Lebanon? Have they ever
solved a national crisis, stopped a collapse, protected sovereignty, or
strengthened the state?
Lebanon’s experience offers little reason for optimism. Most spiritual summits
held over the past decades were closely linked to political interests. They
often served to support political compromises or provide moral cover for
decisions already taken by political forces. In many cases, religious
authorities became instruments of justification or mediators between centers of
power rather than independent moral voices.
The main problem is not the idea of dialogue among religious leaders. The real
problem is the loss of independence. When religious institutions become attached
to political leaders or influenced by them, they lose their ability to act as
independent moral and national authorities.
Over recent decades, Lebanese citizens have witnessed the collapse of the state,
widespread corruption, the strengthening of occupying forces, the paralysis of
institutions, the emigration of young people, the loss of depositors’ savings,
and the subordination of national decision-making to foreign powers. Yet strong
and consistent positions from most religious authorities have been rare.
The true religious mission is to defend justice, human dignity, freedom, and
national sovereignty. When religious platforms become tools for defending failed
policies, supporting domination projects, or accommodating powerful interests,
they lose the essence of their mission.
What Lebanese people need today is not another statement or symbolic gathering
of religious leaders. They need courageous and clear moral positions that
condemn corruption regardless of who commits it, reject foreign dependency
regardless of its source, support the state's exclusive right to bear arms, and
defend Lebanon’s sovereignty and independent national decision-making.
Unfortunately, spiritual summits in their traditional form have rarely
represented genuine religious or national renewal. Instead, they have usually
reflected existing political power balances and defended the status quo.
Therefore, any new summit will gain credibility only if it begins with an honest
review of the past and clearly affirms the independence of religious authorities
from political leaders and all external influences.
If it simply repeats the same speeches and slogans, it will be nothing more than
another media event in a country exhausted by political theater and increasingly
distrustful of its official and religious institutions.
Lebanon’s liberation from Iranian influence and from the control of party bosses
and the corrupt political class will not come through protocol summits or vague
consensus statements. It will come through the return of religious leaders to
their natural role as independent moral authorities and through the awakening of
Lebanese citizens, who must reject the worship of leaders, sects, and
personalities.
Nations are built through accountability, freedom, and dignity—not through
dependency and political glorification disguised as religion.
Jumblatt and Berri are more dangerous
than Hezbollah and even the devil himself.
Elias Bejjani/May
30/2026
Unless the American sanctions target the corrupt and Trojan horse duo of
Jumblatt and Berri, it will not have the desired deterrent effect.
This un-Lebanese and diabolical pair is a million times more dangerous than
Hezbollah.
The Absurdity of the Salam
Government’s Crocodile Tears Over Beaufort Castle and Tyre’s Ruins—While
Hezbollah Turned Them Into Military Barracks and Warehouses
Elias Bejjani/May 29/2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/05/154894/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlKn43r3g3M&t=718s
Beaufort Castle
Beaufort Castle, or Qalaat Shaqif Arnoun (known in French as Château de
Beaufort), is a historic fortress located in Lebanon, about one kilometer from
the village of Arnoun. Originally built by the Romans, its structures were later
expanded by the Crusaders and restored by Emir Fakhreddine II. The castle is
built on a high, sheer cliff overlooking the Litani River, the Marjayoun plain,
and the Nabatieh region. Its unique design bends along with the mountain, and
its walls—built from local rock—make it look hidden among the cliffs, even
though its grand silhouette can be seen from miles away. In historical
references, it is known as Beaufort, meaning "the beautiful fortress."
The Trojan and Submissive Comedy in Occupied Lebanon
The ridiculous "Trojan" and submissive theater continues in occupied Lebanon,
accompanied by a chorus of silent weeping and public mourning. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam’s government—which is completely castrated of any national
pride—alongside a bunch of accidental and submissive ministers, are stepping up
today to shed crocodile tears over the ancient city of Tyre and weep for the
fate of the historic Beaufort Castle following Israeli military strikes.
The tragicomic irony is that this so-called "state," falsely named the Lebanese
Republic, is actually just an occupied province belonging to the "State of
Hezbollah"—with all the terror and hostage-taking that implies. This regime begs
the international community and the world's conscience to protect historical
stones. Yet, it has openly conspired and collaborated to hand over the people,
the land, and history to an Iranian terrorist militia that has turned Tyre, its
surroundings, and the towers of Beaufort Castle into military barracks and
rocket warehouses!
Minister Raji and Idle Diplomatic Contacts: Much Ado About Nothing
In a highly dramatic scene, Foreign Minister Youssef Raji releases a statement
dripping with "deep pain and profound anxiety," talking about Tyre’s ancient
neighborhoods, its churches, and its mosques that survived for thousands of
years. The minister boasts about his "intensive diplomatic contacts" to save
this human heritage. In the exact same context came a notable statement by the
Arabist and Nasserist Minister of Culture, Ghassan Salameh.
What heritage are Raji and Salameh even talking about? Their sweet diplomatic
words are completely worthless and lack any credibility. With full intent,
premeditation, and blatant submission, they choose to ignore the naked truth:
the Iranian-backed, jihadist Hezbollah is the one that turned these ancient
neighborhoods and historic sites into military outposts and security zones right
under the cover of Nawaf Salam’s helpless government. Their diplomatic calls are
nothing but an exercise in stupidity, serving as a cover-up for a clear Iranian
occupation that is holding Tyre and its people hostage, while turning Beaufort
Castle into an Iranian military barracks.
The Arnon Municipality and "Enhanced Protection" for a Rocket Arsenal!
Equally detached from reality is the statement issued by the Arnon Municipality.
The municipality condemns the shelling of Beaufort Castle by hiding behind the
2024 Hague Convention protocol, which granted the castle "enhanced protection."
The municipality and the "Green Southerners" association call the strikes a
"systematic cultural genocide" and a war crime.
How short-sighted can these local officials be! International laws and heritage
treaties automatically lose their validity the moment a terrorist militia
transforms a historic site into a strategic military outpost to launch rockets,
dig tunnels, and store weapons. Beaufort Castle, with its strategic location
overlooking the Litani River and the Galilee, stopped being a tourist landmark
the moment Hezbollah decided to resurrect its military "glory" there. Your talk
about the "resilience of its people" over centuries is just a cheap excuse to
justify the presence of Iranian weapon depots. Your statement is completely
meaningless and worthless because you chose to ignore how the castle was
booby-trapped with the spirit of the Mullahs. You stripped it of its cultural
identity and dressed it in a yellow military uniform.
The Baalbek Theater Repeated in the South
This official hypocrisy reminds us of the exact same ridiculous plays staged by
Hezbollah, its submissive state, and its media puppets during the COVID-19 era
when they exposed the Baalbek ruins to the danger of destruction. Back then,
they openly bragged about their military control while the state remained
completely silent. Today, the exact same scenario is repeated in the South: the
militia plants weapons among the ruins, and the government cries over
international law!
Nawaf Salam: Political Coma and Intentional Blindness
As for Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, he treats us on the "X" platform to worn-out
clichés like "nothing justifies these attacks" and demands for a full Israeli
withdrawal and the return of state authority.
Mr. Prime Minister, where is this state authority you are talking about? What
sovereignty are you weeping for when you know damn well that every single inch
of Lebanon—not just Tyre or Beaufort Castle—is a military barracks and a weapons
depot hijacked by the Iranian Supreme Leader (Wali al-Faqih)? How can you act
surprised by these strikes while you cowardly turn a blind eye to the real
occupation sitting inside your government offices and controlling your military
and security institutions?
Conclusion: Shut Up and Accept the Truth
The puppets of this government, the cheerleaders of Hezbollah, and all the
complicit ministers and officials in Lebanon should just shut up, swallow their
tongues, and go away. Stop your cheap media campaigns that claim to protect
history and heritage.
This is a state falsely called a "Republic," but in reality, it is an Iranian
province ruled by a terrorist faction that holds the sole decision over war and
peace. It controls the necks and the tongues of everyone in power. The world
will not believe you, and treaties will not protect you, as long as Lebanon’s
history and present are used as wooden shields to protect Hezbollah's arsenal.
Your screaming has no credibility, and your tears are nothing but waste water
running down the face of a state that has no sovereignty and no dignity
Netanyahu: We Will Strike Beirut if Hezbollah Doesn't Stop Its
Attacks
Al-Arabiya/June 1, 2026 (google
translation from Arabic)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that he informed US
President Donald Trump during a phone call Monday evening that Israel would
strike Beirut if Hezbollah did not cease its attacks. According to a statement
issued by his office, Netanyahu added, "Our position on this matter has not
changed. At the same time, the Israeli army will continue to operate as planned
in southern Lebanon." For his part, Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz
emphasized that Israel would attack Beirut's southern suburbs if Hezbollah did
not adhere to the ceasefire. In an interview with Israel's Channel 14 on Monday,
Katz said that the US president "adopted our equation that bombing our
settlements means bombing Beirut." Meanwhile, the Lebanese Embassy in Washington
announced that Hezbollah had agreed to the US proposal for a "mutual cessation
of attacks," following Israel's threat to resume airstrikes on Beirut's southern
suburbs on the eve of the fourth round of negotiations between Lebanon and
Israel. The embassy stated in a statement relayed by the Prime Minister's office
that "Lebanese authorities received confirmation of Hezbollah's acceptance of
the US proposal for a mutual cessation of attacks." She added that “under the
proposed arrangement, Israeli strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs would cease
in exchange for Hezbollah refraining from attacks against Israel, with the
ceasefire to be expanded to encompass all of Lebanon.” This comes after the US
president announced earlier on Monday that Israel and Hezbollah had agreed to a
ceasefire. He wrote on his social media account Truth Social that Netanyahu
pledged during a “very productive” phone call not to send troops into Beirut,
while Israel threatened to attack the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital.
He added, “No troops will be going to Beirut, and any troops that were en route
have already turned back.” He also announced that he had a “very good call” with
Hezbollah through intermediaries, adding that the Iranian-backed group had
agreed to “cease all hostilities.” He continued, “Israel will not attack them,
and they will not attack Israel.”
Trump: We Agreed with Israel and Hezbollah on a
Ceasefire
Riyadh - Al-Arabiya.net/June 1, 2026 (google translation from Arabic)
US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a
phone call Monday evening, as attention focused on the future of the
confrontation in Lebanon amid reports of US pressure to prevent the expansion of
Israeli military operations against Beirut. For his part, US President Donald
Trump announced that understandings had been reached to halt the escalation on
the Lebanese front after contacts he made with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu and mediators who had been in contact with Hezbollah. In a statement
published on his Truth Social account, Trump said he had a "very productive
call" with Netanyahu, confirming that "there will be no troops going to Beirut,
and any troops that were en route have been turned back." He added that
high-level representatives had contacted Hezbollah, which, according to him, had
agreed to a complete ceasefire, whereby Israel would refrain from attacking it
in exchange for Hezbollah ceasing its attacks on Israel. Trump continued,
"Israel will not attack them, and they will not attack Israel," referring to an
understanding aimed at consolidating the ceasefire and preventing the escalation
of the conflict in Lebanon. Israeli Channel 12 reported that the call took place
amidst intensive consultations regarding developments on the Lebanese front,
while the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation stated that the United States
intervened in recent hours to prevent a large-scale Israeli strike against
Beirut's southern suburbs. The corporation added that Washington has not yet
given the green light for a large-scale attack on the Lebanese capital, noting
that Netanyahu is trying to convince the US administration of the necessity of
launching a major strike against Hezbollah strongholds in the southern suburbs.
These developments coincided with a report by Axios indicating that Hezbollah
sent a message to the US administration expressing its willingness to accept a
comprehensive ceasefire without demanding an immediate Israeli withdrawal from
Lebanese territory. According to the report, this condition was one of the main
points of contention during recent political contacts, leading to the move being
interpreted as an attempt to open a new window for de-escalation efforts.
Hezbollah has yet to issue any official confirmation regarding the report's
contents, and neither Washington nor Tel Aviv has released any official details
about the ongoing communications. This comes after Iran announced the suspension
of its communication with the United States through intermediaries following the
Israeli attacks in Lebanon. Meanwhile, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry confirmed
that Tehran had requested the continuation of mediation efforts aimed at
supporting a ceasefire and containing the escalation. Observers believe that the
recent US moves reflect a desire to prevent the situation from spiraling into a
wider confrontation that could include the Lebanese capital, especially given
the escalating international warnings about the repercussions of any large-scale
attack on Beirut. The Lebanese arena has witnessed a rapid military escalation
in recent days, with Israel intensifying its strikes in the south and around
Tyre and Nabatieh, alongside Israeli threats to expand operations against
Hezbollah. While Israel continues its military pressure, Washington appears keen
to keep the door open for diplomatic solutions, making the call between Trump
and Netanyahu a crucial juncture that could determine the course of events in
the coming hours. Observers are waiting to see whether the political efforts
will succeed in establishing a ceasefire, or whether the existing disagreements
will lead to a new phase of escalation that could extend to the heart of the
Lebanese capital.
Trump says Israel, Lebanon’s Hezbollah agree to halt
fightingUnited States Of America
Al Arabiya English/01 June ,2026
US President Donald Trump said Monday that Israel and Hezbollah had agreed to
stop fighting, adding that Iran talks were moving rapidly after seeming to be on
the rocks over Israel’s Lebanon offensive. Trump said on social media that
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had promised not to send troops to
Beirut’s southern suburbs as threatened, while Hezbollah had agreed that “all
shooting will stop.”His comments came after Iran’s state-affiliated Tasnim news
agency reported that Tehran had suspended dialogue with mediators in protest at
Israel’s expanding offensive in Lebanon against Iran’s ally Hezbollah. “I had a
very productive call with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, of Israel, and there
will be no Troops going to Beirut, and any Troops that are on their way, have
already been turned back,” Trump wrote. “Likewise, through highly placed
Representatives, I had a very good call with Hezbollah, and they agreed that all
shooting will stop – That Israel will not attack them, and they will not attack
Israel.”In a separate post a few minutes later, Trump said that “talks are
continuing, at a rapid pace, with the Islamic Republic of Iran. Thank you for
your attention to this matter!”The Lebanese Embassy in Washington also released
a statement, which was carried by the Lebanese Presidency, saying Hezbollah had
accepted a US proposal for a “mutual cessation of attacks” with Israel. The plan
would begin with a halt to strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs before expanding
into a nationwide ceasefire, according to the statement. Earlier Monday, the US
president showed mixed signals about his enthusiasm for talks to end the Iran
war, which the United States and Israel launched on February 28.Trump told CNBC
shortly before his Truth Social posts that “I don’t care” if the Iran talks
collapsed. “If they’re over, they’re over,” Trump told CNBC. “Frankly, I thought
they started to get very boring.”Trump also told NBC News on Monday that he had
not been informed that Iran was suspending negotiations but that, “I think we’ve
been talking too much if you want to know the truth.”“I think going silent would
be very good, and that could be that could be for a long time,” he said. With
agencies
Israel says ‘no calm in Beirut’ unless Hezbollah stops
attacks
AFP/01 June ,2026
Israel’s defense minister said Monday there would be “no calm in Beirut” if
Hezbollah attacks continued and vowed to establish a military-controlled zone in
the area of south Lebanon’s Litani River. “The Dahiyeh in Beirut is no different
from the communities in northern Israel - if there is no calm in the north,
there will be no calm in Beirut,” Israel Katz said in a statement released by
his office, referring to the Beirut southern suburb and Hezbollah stronghold
where he had earlier Monday ordered strikes.. “At the same time, the IDF
continues to operate with fire and maneuver against Hezbollah terrorists and
infrastructure in Lebanon... in order to push threats away from IDF forces and
from the residents of the State of Israel, and to turn the Litani area into a
zone under IDF security control, free of weapons and terrorists,” Katz added.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to push deeper into Lebanon
after announcing on Friday that a large part of south Lebanon was now considered
a “combat zone,” despite a ceasefire. After the ceasefire came into effect on
April 17, Israel established a “Yellow Line” about a dozen kilometers from its
northern border, inside Lebanese territory. Last week, Israel’s military
declared all areas south of Lebanon’s Zahrani River - around 40 kilometers (25
miles) from the border and including the cities of Tyre and Nabatieh - to be
“combat zones” and told residents to evacuate. Avichay Adraee, the Israeli
military’s Arabic-language spokesman, said on Monday the army had issued a new
evacuation order for seven towns and villages north of the Zahrani. Lebanese
President Joseph Aoun said on Monday his country was facing “a vicious and
reprehensible Israeli aggression.” Israel and Hezbollah frequently accuse each
other of violating the terms of the ceasefire.
Hezbollah has not committed to halting north Israel
attacks: Source
AFP/01 June ,2026
A source close to Hezbollah told AFP that the Iran-backed group would not stop
targeting northern Israel, after Israeli threats on Monday to bomb Beirut’s
southern suburbs if the militants kept up attacks.Hezbollah “has not committed
to stop attacking” northern Israel, the source said, requesting anonymity and
adding: “Why stop these attacks that hurt Israel while it is bombarding
Lebanon?” Earlier on Monday, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said that “if
there is no calm in the north, there will be no calm in Beirut”, while a senior
US official told AFP on Sunday that Washington had “proposed a clear sequence:
Hezbollah must stop all attacks on Israel. In return, Israel would refrain from
escalation in Beirut.”
Hezbollah says still fighting Israeli troops near south
Lebanon’s Beaufort castle
AFP/01 June ,2026
Hezbollah said its fighters were still battling Israeli troops near south
Lebanon’s Beaufort castle on Monday, a day after Israel said it seized the
strategic fortress and troops raised the Israeli flag there. In a statement
issued by Hezbollah’s operations room, the group said its fighters were in a
“battle of attrition against forces of the Israeli enemy army who are present in
the area.”
Lebanese Source Confirms Failure of Efforts Between
Beirut and Washington
Riyadh - Al-Arabiya.net/June 1, 2026 (google translation from Arabic)
As the Lebanese arena witnesses an Israeli escalation in the south, accompanied
by threats to target Beirut's southern suburbs, a Lebanese source familiar with
the diplomatic efforts between Beirut and Washington confirmed that Israeli
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's announcement earlier on Monday regarding
striking sites in the suburbs indicates a deterioration in the US-led diplomatic
track aimed at de-escalation. Another senior Lebanese source explained to
Reuters that the American proposal to reduce the escalation in Lebanon included
halting Hezbollah attacks on northern Israel in exchange for sparing Beirut and
its southern suburbs further strikes, as a first step towards a complete
ceasefire. The source added that Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri wants a
complete and comprehensive ceasefire instead of a piecemeal approach. A US
official stated on Sunday that Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with both
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Netanyahu about the diplomatic negotiations
between the two countries and proposed a plan that would allow for a "gradual
de-escalation." He also explained that the United States proposed that the first
step be for Hezbollah to halt all attacks on Israel, in exchange for Israel
refraining from escalating the situation in Beirut. He added that Aoun tried to
push the proposal forward and reach an agreement, but Berri, who said he
"guarantees" Hezbollah's commitment to a ceasefire, placed the onus on Israel to
refrain from firing first. Berri, a close ally of Hezbollah, commented in
remarks carried by Lebanese media yesterday, "I guarantee a full, comprehensive,
and immediate commitment to a ceasefire by Hezbollah... but the question is, who
will compel Israel to stop its aggression?" Earlier today, Netanyahu emphasized
that Hezbollah's command centers in the Lebanese capital would not remain off
the line. He added that the Israeli army continues to expand and intensify its
field operations in southern Lebanon. Meanwhile, Beirut's southern suburbs
witnessed a massive exodus amid fears of renewed Israeli strikes, which had
ceased in the capital since last April at the request of the United States.
Simultaneously, it was reported that Iran suspended its exchange of messages
through intermediaries with the United States due to the Israeli escalation in
Lebanon.
Israel Warns Residents of Beirut's Southern Suburbs to
Evacuate
Riyadh -Al-Arabiya.net/June 1, 2026 (google translation from Arabic)
The Israeli army issued a warning to residents of Beirut's southern suburbs,
urging them to evacuate their homes. Israeli army spokesman Avichai Adraee, in a
statement posted on his Facebook page on Monday, urged residents of the area "to
evacuate for their own safety." He added that "if Hezbollah continues firing
rockets at Israeli cities and towns, the army will respond by targeting sites in
the southern suburbs." He emphasized that "Israel is not fighting the Lebanese
people, but rather the Hezbollah terrorist organization," as he put it. This
came after Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz renewed his warnings to
Lebanon, asserting that "there will be no calm in Beirut unless there is calm in
northern Israel." He stressed that Hezbollah command centers in Beirut would not
remain outside the scope of targeting. He explained that his country intends to
transform the Litani River area into a security zone under the control of the
army. For his part, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the same
position, announcing that he had given orders to target the southern suburbs of
Beirut. Meanwhile, the Lebanese capital witnessed a massive exodus from the
southern suburbs and the nearby Shi'ah district to "safe" areas. Simultaneously,
an Israeli military source reported that Tel Aviv was considering Hezbollah
targets in the southern suburbs and the Bekaa Valley in eastern Lebanon. Other
Israeli sources indicated that Netanyahu's stance was coordinated with the
United States, amid talk of the failure of American diplomatic efforts to push
for a "gradual de-escalation." Earlier that day, Israel had warned some 16 towns
in the south, demanding their residents evacuate. Hezbollah continued launching
drones and rockets at Israeli soldiers in the south and areas in the Galilee
region of northern Israel. It is worth noting that a ceasefire agreement
brokered by the United States came into effect on April 17, but clashes have
continued between the two sides. Since the outbreak of clashes between Hezbollah
and Israeli forces on March 2nd, following Hezbollah's launch of drones toward
northern Israel in response to the assassination of former Iranian Supreme
Leader Ali Khamenei, the Israeli army has retaliated with heavy airstrikes on
various areas in Lebanon. These clashes have resulted in the deaths of
approximately 3,400 Lebanese and injuries to more than 10,000, according to
official Lebanese estimates, while nearly one million people have been displaced
from southern Lebanon, the southern suburbs of Beirut, and the Bekaa Valley.
Critical long-term decision facing Iran and the US
Al-Arabiya.net/June 01/2026
Regardless of any temporary agreement between Iran and the United States, what
truly matters is whether a comprehensive long-term agreement can be reached that
permanently ends the conflict. This would not be a mere extension of the current
ceasefire but a complete and final resolution. Ultimately, whether this full
agreement is achieved or not represents the most important decision confronting
both sides. Any short-term arrangement is designed to alleviate immediate
strains caused by disrupted oil exports and ongoing naval blockades, but it does
not address the profound underlying disagreements that triggered and have
sustained the recent conflict.
A deeply entrenched divide
The gap between the two sides remains very deep, reflecting years of mistrust,
strategic posturing, and different visions. Iran has consistently maintained its
right to nuclear enrichment as a matter of national sovereignty and
technological advancement. It has refused to abandon its stockpile of highly
enriched uranium, currently estimated at around 440 kilograms enriched to 60
percent purity, along with additional lower-enriched material. Iranian leaders
have repeatedly described this capability as non-negotiable, framing it as
essential for peaceful energy purposes and a symbol of resistance against
external pressure.
Beyond the nuclear file, Iran continues to press for substantial compensation to
address the extensive damages inflicted during the war, including destroyed
infrastructure and economic losses. Tehran also demands the complete withdrawal
of US military forces from the broader region, the full lifting of international
sanctions, and ironclad guarantees that no future aggression will be launched
against it.
American red lines
On the opposing side, the United States under President Trump has drawn a firm
line around preventing Iran from ever acquiring nuclear weapons capability. Core
American demands focus on the dilution or outright removal of Iran’s highly
enriched uranium stockpile, which experts assess could be further processed into
material sufficient for multiple weapons if not addressed. While the reopening
of the Strait of Hormuz appears more amenable to phased negotiations and mutual
compromises, the enriched uranium issue stands as the central and most
intractable obstacle. Other areas, such as sanctions relief or regional military
postures, might become part of diplomatic trade-offs, but the stockpile directly
challenges the US goal of eliminating any realistic Iranian breakout timeline
toward weaponization. President Trump has shown no indication of softening this
fundamental requirement. The recent conflict intensified precisely due to
escalating fears over Iran’s nuclear progress, and retreating from that position
now would likely invite intense domestic and international scrutiny regarding
the war’s objectives, its human and financial costs, and its ultimate strategic
value. Trump has repeatedly emphasized that any lasting agreement must include
verifiable commitments ensuring Iran never develops a nuclear bomb.
Iran’s economic crossroads
This unyielding dynamic places the weight of the fundamental decision firmly on
Tehran. Iran’s economy is already reeling from the cumulative effects of
sustained sanctions, the naval blockade that has crippled oil exports, rampant
inflation, a sharply devalued currency, and widespread physical destruction from
the fighting. Warnings from some of Iranian officials highlight the growing risk
of domestic unrest, including potential protests fueled by rising prices for
basic goods and widespread economic hardship. The population has endured
significant suffering, and the government faces increasing pressure to deliver
tangible improvements in living conditions. If Iran chooses to hold firm on
retaining its enriched uranium without major concessions, it risks facing an
indefinite extension of these punishing measures. The naval blockade could
persist or intensify, international sanctions might remain locked in place, and
the ever-present threat of renewed military confrontation would continue to
loom. Oil revenues, a lifeline for the Iranian state, would stay severely
constrained, exacerbating budget deficits and limiting the government’s ability
to fund reconstruction or social programs. In such a scenario, internal
stability could erode further as ordinary citizens bear the brunt of prolonged
isolation.
Weighing the strategic sacrifice
Conversely, agreeing to hand over or dilute the highly enriched uranium
stockpile could unlock a pathway toward comprehensive sanctions relief, access
to frozen assets, and international support for rebuilding. While this would
represent a major strategic and symbolic retreat for Iran, it might provide
reduced security threats in the region. The choice ultimately revolves around
whether the retention of roughly 440 kilograms of enriched material justifies
the continued economic pain, the risk of renewed warfare, and the potential for
deeper regional instability. While other aspects of the dispute may be open to
negotiation, this nuclear core appears to define the entire endgame.The problem
seems solvable if Iranian decision-makers prioritize the long-term prosperity
and security of their nation and its people over preserving material that,
despite its technical significance, exposes the country to existential risks.
History shows that rigid adherence to maximalist positions in such high-stakes
confrontations often prolongs suffering without delivering strategic gains.In
conclusion, regardless of short-term progress on a ceasefire extension or the
reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, the big thing is whether a permanent and
complete agreement between both sides can be reached. The gaps seem very deep,
but it really comes down to the enriched uranium stockpile. The United States is
not going to change its position. The decision ultimately rests with Iran: Is it
worth enduring all the economic pressure, risking another war, and prolonging
regional instability simply to keep that stockpile? Or would handing it over
open the door to relief and a more secure future? The coming weeks and months of
negotiations will test whether a resolution to this critical issue is achievable
and whether it can ultimately deliver the lasting peace that the region so
desperately needs.
Iranian Sources: Tehran Halts Communication with Washington
Due to Lebanon
Riyadh - Al-Arabiya.net/June 1, 2026 (google translation from Arabic)
Iranian sources confirmed that the Iranian negotiating team decided to halt the
exchange of messages with the United States through intermediaries, against the
backdrop of escalating attacks in Lebanon. This move reflects the growing
tension between the diplomatic track and developments on the ground in the
region. The sources indicated on Monday that "given the continuation of Israeli
crimes, and considering that Lebanon was among the preconditions for a
ceasefire, and that this ceasefire has now been violated on all fronts,
including Lebanon, the Iranian negotiating team will halt dialogue and the
exchange of texts through the intermediary," according to the Tasnim News
Agency, which is close to the Revolutionary Guard. Earlier that day, Iranian
Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi emphasized that the ceasefire between Iran and
the United States unequivocally includes all fronts, including Lebanon. For his
part, Iranian Parliament Speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf
stated that "the US naval blockade and the escalation of war crimes in Lebanon
by what is described as the Zionist regime are clear evidence of the United
States' failure to comply with the ceasefire." This development comes at a time
of rapidly escalating tensions on the Lebanese-Israeli border, after Israel
intensified its military operations in southern Lebanon and expanded its strikes
against sites it claims belong to Hezbollah, coinciding with Israeli threats to
extend military operations to include the southern suburbs of Beirut. Iranian
reports had previously indicated that Tehran considers de-escalation in Lebanon
a fundamental part of any broader understanding with the United States, and that
any potential agreement must include ending confrontations "on all fronts,"
including the Lebanese arena. Indirect talks between Tehran and Washington in
recent weeks have also been linked to a number of regional issues, most notably
the situation in Lebanon, the Strait of Hormuz, and the economic sanctions
imposed on Iran. Previous reports by the Tasnim News Agency revealed that the
exchange of messages between the two sides continued in recent days through
regional intermediaries, despite ongoing disagreements on several issues related
to sanctions, frozen Iranian assets, and navigation arrangements in the Strait
of Hormuz. It's worth noting that just days ago, there was renewed talk of
relative progress in indirect communications between the two sides, amidst leaks
about a preliminary draft understanding that included arrangements for
de-escalating regional tensions and easing some of the economic pressures
imposed on Iran. However, the military escalation in Lebanon, along with the
continued exchange of fire in the region, and the persistent differences on
several outstanding points between the Iranian and American sides, have further
complicated the situation and raised doubts about the chances of reaching an
agreement soon.
This Iranian decision comes at a time when the region is witnessing escalating
tensions, including in Lebanon and the Strait of Hormuz, while the United States
and Iran have been exchanging political messages through regional intermediaries
for months in an attempt to reach understandings that would prevent the region
from sliding into a wider confrontation. While no official comment has yet been
issued from Washington regarding what was reported by Tasnim News Agency,
observers are waiting to see whether the decision represents a temporary
suspension of communications or an indication of the collapse of the negotiating
track, which has witnessed limited progress in recent weeks despite the
continued fundamental differences between the two sides.
Iran Warns Israelis: You Will Be Attacked if Beirut is
Targeted
Riyadh - Al-Arabiya.net/June 1, 2026 (google translation from Arabic)
The Iranian army warned residents of northern Israel on Monday of the
possibility of attacks if Beirut's southern suburbs are targeted. The Iranian
Central Military Command stated, "If Israel launches attacks on Beirut, we warn
the residents of northern Israel to leave if they do not want to be harmed."
This came after the Israeli army issued a warning to residents of Beirut's
southern suburbs, urging them to evacuate their homes. Israeli army spokesman
Avichai Adraee, in a statement posted on his Facebook account on Monday, urged
residents of the southern suburbs to "evacuate for their own safety." Meanwhile,
Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz reiterated his warnings to Lebanon,
asserting that "there will be no calm in Beirut unless there is calm in northern
Israel." He emphasized that Hezbollah command centers in Beirut would not remain
outside the scope of targeting. He also clarified that his country intends to
transform the Litani River area into a security zone under the control of the
army. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the same position,
announcing that he had given the orders to target the southern suburbs of
Beirut. The almost daily exchange of attacks continues, despite the fragile
ceasefire brokered by the United States in the war between Israel and Hezbollah.
The death toll from the latest round of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah
has surpassed 3,400, with more than 10,000 wounded. The US-brokered truce, in
effect since April 17, was recently extended for an additional 45 days. These
developments come as Israeli and Lebanese representatives are scheduled to meet
tomorrow, Tuesday, in Washington for direct talks to end the fighting between
Israeli forces and Hezbollah, although Hezbollah is not a party to these talks.
US Ceasefire Proposal: Hezbollah Attacks Halted in Exchange
for Israeli Calm
Al-Modon/June 1, 2026 (google translation from Arabic)
A US official, revealing details of the negotiations between Lebanon and Israel,
said that Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with both Lebanese President
Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as part of the ongoing
diplomatic negotiations between the two sides. To advance these talks, the
American official revealed that the United States proposed a clear sequence:
“Hezbollah would cease all attacks on Israel, and in return, Israel would
refrain from escalating the situation in Beirut. This would create space for a
gradual de-escalation and ultimately lead to an effective cessation of
hostilities.” The official continued, “President Aoun tried to push this
proposal forward and secure an agreement on it, but Speaker of Parliament Nabih
Berri’s response was evasive and disappointing. Berri claimed he could guarantee
Hezbollah’s commitment to a ceasefire, but he placed the onus on Israel to stop
first, even though Hezbollah initiated this round of fighting on March 2, just
as it did in the previous war in 2003.” The American official asserted that
“Hezbollah is acting on Tehran’s orders and clearly has no regard for the
interests of the Lebanese people.” He added that “Iran wants to prolong the
conflict in Lebanon so it can claim to have saved the day.” He concluded by
saying: "The United States does not expect Israel to continue to tolerate
ongoing attacks on civilians by a terrorist organization. The quickest way to
de-escalate and protect civilians on all sides is for Hezbollah to immediately
cease fire."
US Proposal for a Ceasefire: Hezbollah Halts Attacks in Exchange for Israeli
De-escalation
Al-Modon/June 1, 2026 (google translation from Arabic)
A US official, revealing details of the negotiations between Lebanon and Israel,
stated that Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with both Lebanese President
Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as part of the ongoing
diplomatic efforts between the two sides. To advance these talks, the official
disclosed that the United States proposed a clear sequence: "Hezbollah would
cease all attacks on Israel, and in return, Israel would refrain from escalating
the situation in Beirut. This would create space for a gradual de-escalation and
ultimately lead to an effective cessation of hostilities." The official
continued, "President Aoun attempted to push this proposal forward and secure an
agreement on it. However, Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri's response was
evasive and disappointing. Berri claimed he could guarantee Hezbollah's
commitment to a ceasefire, but he placed the onus on Israel to initiate a
ceasefire first, despite the fact that Hezbollah started this round of fighting
on March 2, just as it did in the previous war in 2023." The American official
asserted that "Hezbollah is acting on Tehran's orders, and it is clear that it
has no regard for the interests of the Lebanese people." He added that "Iran
wants to prolong the conflict in Lebanon so that it can claim to have saved the
day." He concluded by saying, "The United States does not expect Israel to
continue to tolerate the ongoing attacks on civilians by a terrorist
organization. The quickest way to de-escalate and protect civilians on all sides
is for Hezbollah to immediately cease fire."
Netanyahu and Katz Order Israeli Army to Target the Southern Suburbs
Al-Nidaa Al-Watan/June 1, 2026 (google translation from Arabic)
Following the repeated violations of the ceasefire in Lebanon by the Hezbollah
terrorist organization and the attacks on our cities and citizens, Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz instructed the
Israeli army to strike targets in the southern suburbs of Beirut.
The Green Light Has Been Given… Netanyahu Directs the Army
to Target Beirut's Southern Suburbs
South Lebanon/June 1, 2026 (google translation from Arabic)
In a new development in the escalating tensions between Israel and Hezbollah,
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that he had issued direct
instructions to the Israeli army, in coordination with Defense Minister Yisrael
Katz, to target what he described as Hezbollah targets in Beirut's southern
suburbs. Netanyahu stated in a post on the “X” platform that this decision comes
in response to what he considered “repeated and ongoing violations” of the
ceasefire agreement in Lebanon, in addition to attacks targeting cities and
citizens inside Israel. Meanwhile, Israel's Channel 14 reported that the
decision to target the southern suburbs was also made in coordination with the
United States, without providing further details about the nature or content of
this coordination. This escalation comes as Israeli media and Defense Minister
Yisrael Katz announced the death of Sergeant Adam Zerfati, a member of the
Maglan unit, during the ongoing battles in southern Lebanon. Katz said in a
statement that he mourned the soldier's death, noting that Israeli forces were
continuing their operations on the northern front "day and night," as he
described them, as part of efforts to eliminate threats to northern settlements
and enable residents to live in safety. He added that the slain soldier was part
of what he called "the generation of victory," expressing his condolences to his
family and wishing a speedy recovery to the wounded soldiers. He also affirmed
that military operations would continue until their stated objectives were
achieved and the security of the northern front was guaranteed.
Netanyahu Mourns Soldier Killed in Southern Lebanon
Battles, Affirms Fighting Will Continue Until Objectives Are Achieved
South Lebanon/June 1, 2026 (google translation from Arabic)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mourned Sergeant Adam Tserfati, a
fighter in the Maglan unit, who was killed during the fighting in southern
Lebanon. In a post on the X platform, Netanyahu said that he and his wife
offered their deepest condolences to the soldier's family, noting that Tserfati
was killed after Israeli forces captured the Beaufort Heights. He added that the
soldier, whom he described as a courageous fighter, participated in the fighting
to defend Israeli cities and towns against Hezbollah. Netanyahu also expressed
his solidarity with the family of the deceased, wishing a speedy recovery to
those wounded in what he described as a difficult incident. He concluded by
saluting the Israeli soldiers participating in the field operations, affirming
that the operations will continue until the declared objectives are achieved.
Katz: No Calm in Beirut Without Northern Israel
Riyadh - Al-Arabiya.net/June 1, 2026 (google translation from Arabic)
Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz renewed his warnings to Lebanon. Speaking
at a ceremony on Monday to hand over the leadership of the Defense Ministry's
Security Division, Katz said that what applies to Beirut's southern suburbs also
applies to northern Israeli towns.
He emphasized that "if there is no calm in the north, there will be no calm in
Beirut." He added, "We will not allow our citizens to continue being targeted
while calm prevails in Beirut." He stressed that Hezbollah's command centers in
Beirut would not remain off the line of fire. He explained that his country
intends to transform the Litani River area into a military-controlled security
zone. He further stated that "the State of Israel is going through an
unprecedented security phase." He asserted that since October 7, 2023, Tel Aviv
has faced "complex threats, both overt and covert, in near and far arenas." He
indicated that he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had instructed the
Israeli army to attack targets in the southern suburbs of Beirut in response to
what he described as Hezbollah's violations of the ceasefire. Netanyahu had
previously announced that Hezbollah's command centers in the Lebanese capital
would not be spared. He added that the Israeli army continues to expand and
intensify its field operations in southern Lebanon. Netanyahu also announced
yesterday the capture of the strategic Beaufort Castle in southern Lebanon,
confirming that he had ordered the army to expand its operations beyond the
Litani River. It is worth noting that the almost daily attacks exchanged between
Israel and Hezbollah have not ceased despite the fragile ceasefire agreement
brokered by the United States in the war between Israel and Hezbollah last
April. The death toll from the latest round of fighting between the two sides
has exceeded 3,400, with more than 10,000 Lebanese wounded, since the war
erupted on March 2nd, following Hezbollah's firing of rockets into northern
Israel in retaliation for the assassination of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ali
Khamenei.
Araghchi Warns US and Israel of Consequences of Escalation
in Lebanon
Riyadh - Al-Arabiya.net/June 1, 2026 (google translation from Arabic)
Amid Israeli escalation in Lebanon and threats to target Beirut's southern
suburbs, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stressed that the ceasefire
between Iran and the United States unequivocally includes all fronts, including
Lebanon. Araghchi added in a post on his Facebook page on Monday that "any
violation of the ceasefire agreement on one front is considered a violation on
all fronts." Earlier that day, Iranian Parliament Speaker and chief negotiator
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated that "the US naval blockade and the escalation
of war crimes in Lebanon by what is described as the Zionist regime are clear
evidence of the United States' non-compliance with the ceasefire." He also
warned in a Facebook post that every decision has a price, vowing that the
reckoning would ultimately be settled. These Iranian stances and warnings came
amid signs of a stumbling block in efforts to reach an imminent US-Iranian
agreement to end the war, and in the midst of an Israeli escalation in Lebanon.
This escalation followed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's
announcement that he had ordered the army to target sites in Beirut's southern
suburbs, holding Hezbollah responsible for violations of the ceasefire in effect
since last April, which neither side has adhered to. Since the start of talks
between the Iranian and American sides in early April via Pakistan, Tehran has
included Lebanon in the negotiations, demanding that the ceasefire encompass all
fronts, including the Lebanese front, where Hezbollah is fighting in the south,
weakened by the intense Israeli strikes that have targeted it and its leaders
over the past two years.
Qalibaf on the escalation of the Israeli war on Lebanon:
The price will inevitably be paid
Janoubia/June 1, 2026 (google translation from Arabic)
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said, "The naval blockade and
Israel's escalation of war crimes in Lebanon are conclusive proof of the United
States' failure to abide by the ceasefire." In a post on his official X-platform
page on Monday, he wrote: “Every choice has a price… and the time to pay that
price will inevitably come. Everything will become clear in the end.” Earlier,
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghaei stated that “the lack of
trust, the constant shifts in American positions, and Israel’s actions in
Lebanon” had delayed the diplomatic process. He added that negotiations with the
United States were taking place in “an atmosphere of deep mistrust,” while
noting that the exchange of messages was ongoing. He continued, saying that
negotiations are not taking place between two parties who trust each other,
pointing out that “the other side is constantly changing its views, which is
prolonging the negotiations.”
Baqai: Ceasefire in Lebanon is an integral part of any
agreement to end the war
South Lebanon/June 1, 2026 (google translation from Arabic)
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baqai affirmed that a ceasefire in
Lebanon is an integral part of any agreement aimed at ending the war. During his
weekly press conference, Baqai stated that for eighty years, a continuous war
has been waged against the countries of the region with American support. He
emphasized that the continued piracy at sea and attacks on Iranian maritime
navigation constitute a violation of the ceasefire, adding that the Iranian
diplomatic corps is closely monitoring developments and that Tehran will take
any necessary measures to defend its sovereignty. Regarding the ongoing
negotiations, the spokesman explained that the talks are taking place in an
atmosphere of deep mistrust and that the two sides are still exchanging
messages. Baqai stressed that the negotiations are not based on trust between
the negotiating parties, noting that the other side constantly changes its
positions, thus prolonging the negotiation process.
Beirut's Southern Suburbs Under Threat… Beirut on High
Alert as Intensified Israeli Flights Exacerbate Tensions
Janoubia/June 1, 2026 (google translation from Arabic)
Tensions have escalated in Beirut and its southern suburbs following Israeli
threats to target the area. This has led to heightened security measures that
have directly impacted school operations and traffic flow, coinciding with
intensive Israeli drone activity over the capital and its surroundings. Several
Beirut schools have asked parents to pick up their children in anticipation of a
precautionary closure, given the recent security developments and the heightened
anxiety in the capital. Traffic has been extremely heavy from the Galerie Semaan
area towards Chevrolet, due to the congestion and heightened tensions
surrounding the security situation. Israeli drones have been flying at low
altitudes over Beirut and its southern suburbs, further increasing the sense of
anticipation and anxiety in the region. Meanwhile, Israeli media outlets have
reported that the Israeli army is expected to issue evacuation orders for
Beirut's southern suburbs soon. These developments come after Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that, in coordination with Defense
Minister Yisrael Katz, he had issued direct instructions to the army to target
Hezbollah positions in Beirut's southern suburbs. Netanyahu stated that the
decision was in response to what he described as "repeated and ongoing
violations" of the ceasefire agreement and attacks targeting cities and
civilians inside Israel.
Israel's Eye on Naim Qassem… and the Southern Suburbs Under
the Microscope of Escalation
South Lebanon/June 1, 2026 (google translation from Arabic)
The southern suburbs of Beirut have entered a phase of anticipation and caution
after Israel escalated its military rhetoric, threatening to expand its
targeting to include Hezbollah strongholds. This move has heightened residents'
anxiety amid fears of renewed airstrikes in the heart of the capital. According
to a report by journalist Avi Ashkenazi in the Maariv newspaper, the Israeli
threats were quickly reflected on the ground, with limited displacement observed
in some neighborhoods of Beirut's southern suburbs, coinciding with traffic
congestion on roads leading to and from the area. There were also reports of GPS
system disruptions in several Lebanese regions. This escalation followed an
announcement by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister
Yisrael Katz that they had instructed the Israeli army to prepare to target
Hezbollah sites. They stated that the decision was in response to what they
described as repeated violations and rocket launches toward Israel. Despite the
heightened threats, Israeli military sources indicated that the air force has
not yet launched any airstrikes on Beirut, noting that efforts are currently
focused on finalizing the target bank before making a final decision regarding
the nature and scale of any operations. According to the report, the Israeli
military establishment is considering three main scenarios for any potential
escalation. The first targets Hezbollah's leadership figures, while the second
focuses on operations rooms and command and control centers. The third includes
weapons depots, missile and drone storage facilities, and technical
installations linked to the party's military infrastructure. In parallel, Israel
raised its alert level on the northern front, issuing new instructions to forces
deployed in border areas with Lebanon. These instructions included reducing
unnecessary movement and tightening personal protective measures for soldiers,
with soldiers in several areas required to wear helmets and protective vests at
all times. This situation reflects the escalating tension between the two sides,
at a time when indications are growing that the confrontation may enter a more
sensitive phase, amid anticipation of what the coming hours will bring in light
of the mutual threats and rapidly evolving developments on the ground.
Washington Links Escalation to Lebanese Measures: Calls for
Broader Domestic Action Against Hezbollah
Janoubia/June 1, 2026 (google translation from Arabic)
In a notable development reflecting the hardening of the American approach
toward Lebanon, informed sources conveyed direct messages from Washington to
Beirut linking the increasing Israeli escalation to what the American
administration describes as “laxity in the disarmament of Hezbollah.” According
to these sources, Washington believes that the continued confrontations on the
Lebanese front are not unrelated to the Lebanese state’s performance in dealing
with the Hezbollah issue, indicating that any new deterioration on the ground is
primarily linked to the absence of more decisive internal measures. The sources
add that the American side believes that the Lebanese state’s move to arrest or
prosecute some Hezbollah leaders could constitute an indication of the state’s
“seriousness” in managing this issue, which would reflect positively on the path
to de-escalation and reduce the level of escalation. The messages also convey
that, according to the American assessment, Hezbollah bears responsibility for
the current and future escalation, while the Lebanese state bears part of the
responsibility due to what is described as insufficient firmness in controlling
the internal situation. In a related context, sources indicate that Washington
believes Lebanon possesses the capability to protect Beirut and its surrounding
areas, including the southern suburbs, should the state take serious and
decisive steps against Hezbollah's leadership structure. These positions reflect
an American approach that links internal security developments with military
developments on the border, at a time when southern Lebanon is witnessing
continuous escalation and rising tensions that are reverberating across various
domestic fronts. These messages come at a sensitive juncture, where field
calculations intertwine with political and diplomatic pressures, placing Lebanon
before a highly complex equation between managing internal affairs and
containing external threats.
The Escalation Expands from the South to the Dahiyeh...
while Lebanon Holds to Negotiation Despite Wideness of Raids
Janoubia / June 1, 2026 (google translation from Arabic)
At a time when the pace of Israeli escalation is accelerating across various
Lebanese regions, Lebanon is holding onto the option of negotiation as the sole
path to contain the confrontation and prevent it from sliding into a wider war.
This comes in tandem with intense diplomatic contacts led by Lebanon with the
international community amidst growing threats targeting the southern suburbs of
Beirut (Dahiyeh). According to available data, the Lebanese state is continuing
its political and diplomatic movements despite the field escalation, based on
the conviction that there is no alternative to the negotiation track at this
stage, given the expanding scope of Israeli military operations. On the ground,
the South witnessed a series of violent Israeli raids targeting Kfar Houna in
the Jezzine District, the Al-Housh area in the Tyre District, and the entrance
of Al-Aqbiyeh in the Sidon District, in addition to two raids on the town of Al-Adousiyeh.
A car was also targeted in Zafteh, resulting in one death and one injury,
coinciding with raids that struck Arab Salim, Yahmar al-Shaqif, Kfar Tibnit, and
Arnoun. Amid fears of the expanding circle of targets, the Lebanese Army
deployed at the entrances of the Dahiyeh to organize the movement of
displacement, while also working to close a number of exits in Ain el-Remmaneh
with barbed wire as part of precautionary security measures. Politically,
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri met with Minister of Defense Maurice Slim [Note:
translated as text states "Michel Menassa"] at Ain el-Tineh, at a time when
official consultations are intensifying to keep pace with the accelerating field
and security developments. On the other hand, Israeli threats to target the
Dahiyeh continue, as Israeli reports spoke of the army's readiness to execute
new strikes as soon as it receives political approval. Meanwhile, Israeli
estimates indicated that Hezbollah leaders have moved part of the operations
management and instructions to sites in Tyre and Sidon as threats escalate.
These developments reflect a highly sensitive phase, where the accelerating
military escalation coincides with political and diplomatic attempts to prevent
the collapse of calm opportunities, amid anticipation of what the coming hours
will bring on both the field and political levels.
The Truce in Lebanon: The Dahiyeh is No Longer "Immune" and
Israel Threatens to Strike It
Al-Modon / June 1, 2026 (google translation from Arabic)
In an Israeli escalation preceding the fourth round of negotiations between
Lebanon and Israel in America, Israel issued instructions to strike targets in
the Southern Suburbs of Beirut (Dahiyeh). The Dahiyeh is no longer immune under
an American guarantee, after Israeli media confirmed that the decision to strike
the Dahiyeh came after coordination with the US leadership. A joint statement
was issued by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Security Minister Israel
Katz stating:
"Following repeated violations of the ceasefire in Lebanon by Hezbollah, and
attacks targeting our cities and citizens, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and
Security Minister Israel Katz have instructed the IDF to strike terrorist
targets in the Dahiyeh area of Beirut."
As a result of the threat, a new wave of displacement was recorded after the
residents of the Dahiyeh began evacuating their homes, while Israeli media
reported that evacuation orders would be issued for the areas to be targeted in
the Dahiyeh. The roads and entrances to the Dahiyeh witnessed suffocating
traffic congestion, where citizens were stuck for hours on the roads.
The UN Security Council is holding an emergency meeting this Monday afternoon,
at the request of France, to discuss the developments of the war in Lebanon,
following the Israeli army's occupation of the historic Beaufort Castle (Qalaat
al-Shaqif) located in the south of the country, and the expansion of its
aggression. Paradoxically, the meeting will be held directly after another
emergency meeting requested by Romania against the backdrop of a drone crashing
into a building in Galați. For the first time since the aggression began more
than three months ago, the Israeli aggression was the subject of widespread Arab
and Western condemnation.
In a statement by the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the State of Qatar
condemned the continuation of Israeli attacks on Lebanon and the expansion of
the ground incursion into its south, calling on the international community to
compel the Israeli occupation authorities to stop their attacks on Lebanon. Doha
also reaffirmed its firm stance toward Lebanon, its unity, sovereignty, and
territorial integrity, and its full support for all efforts that enhance its
stability and prosperity.
Egypt, in a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stressed its
categorical rejection of any infringement on Lebanese national territory,
reiterating its support for the unity of the Lebanese state, its national
institutions, and its territorial integrity, describing it as "a flagrant
violation of Lebanon's sovereignty, a blatant breach of international law and
international humanitarian law, and a dangerous escalation that threatens the
region's security, stability, and efforts to end the escalation."
Similarly, the Secretary-General of the Arab League, Ahmed Aboul Gheit,
condemned the Israeli aggression on Lebanon and called for an immediate
cessation of fighting. Aboul Gheit said that Israeli forces had penetrated into
Lebanese territory, destroyed villages and historic sites in the South, and
targeted civilians, leading to their displacement, adding that these actions
violate Lebanon's sovereignty and international law.
British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper called on all parties to respect the
ceasefire in Lebanon and engage in negotiations in good faith. She considered,
in a post on the "X" platform, that the Israeli military escalation in Lebanon
led to the killing and displacement of civilians, the destruction of
infrastructure, and the tightening of the noose on diplomatic dialogue,
stressing that "it must be put to an end."
An American Proposal to Stop the Escalation
An American official revealed to Reuters that Secretary of State Marco Rubio
spoke with both Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the negotiations between Israel and Lebanon. He
explained that the United States proposed, as a first step, that Hezbollah stop
all its attacks on Israel, and in return, Israel refrains from escalating in
Lebanon. He said that Aoun tried to move forward with this proposal, but
Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri held Israel responsible for refusing to
"fire first." Berri, for his part, demanded a comprehensive ceasefire and an
immediate Israeli withdrawal from the areas it occupies in the South. In an
interview with "Al-Modon", he said that he guarantees a full and immediate
commitment to the ceasefire by Hezbollah, provided that Israel stops the war and
ground, sea, and air military operations, and completely ceases the destruction
of homes and bulldozing operations—at which point he would be responsible for
ensuring Hezbollah's compliance.
Fears of a Wider Occupation and Field Escalation
Israel is moving forward with its aggression, and diplomatic and security
estimates indicate that Lebanon is entering a new phase of escalation, amid
expectations of expanding the scope of the Israeli occupation of Lebanese
territories, with raids bypassing the South to include other areas deep within
the Dahiyeh and the capital itself.
Israel's Channel 12 reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held
a mini-security meeting, the second in less than 24 hours, to discuss the
possibility of Israel transitioning from a model of controlling field areas in
Lebanon to executing an aerial campaign in the capital, Beirut. According to the
channel, the decision regarding this shift remains linked to ongoing
consultations with the US administration in Washington, which have witnessed
increased momentum in recent days.
The report indicated that Netanyahu had conducted a conversation two days ago
with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, during which he sought to convince
senior officials in the US administration that Israel cannot grant Hezbollah
"immunity" in Beirut, even if operations are limited to executing assassinations
or precision strikes. The channel quoted Israeli sources saying that any
decision regarding the nature of operations in Beirut is made in coordination
with Washington. An Israeli source familiar with the details said: "The
Americans are showing a greater degree of openness, but there is no final green
light yet, at least for the time being."
This trend came after the Israeli army announced its control over the strategic
Beaufort Castle, and Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz's confirmation that
his forces will remain in the castle as part of the "safe zone" in Lebanon. The
announcement of control over the castle raised fears of a field shift that could
pave the way for expanding ground operations deeper into Lebanese territory—a
step analysts link to negotiating and security goals that go beyond the limits
of direct confrontation with Hezbollah, reaching the consolidation of control
over the "buffer zone" and establishing what is known as the "Yellow Line."
Netanyahu said that the military operation in Lebanon "needs more time," while
the Israeli army intensified its raids on several towns in the south of the
country.
Controversy Over the Occupation of Beaufort Castle
The announcement of Israel's control over the strategic Beaufort Castle and the
vicinity of Wadi al-Salouqi in southern Lebanon, and the expansion of its ground
operations north of the Litani River, sparked mounting controversy within
Israeli political, military, and media circles. Opinions in Israel were divided
between those who see the step as a "security achievement" that enhances control
over southern Lebanon, and those who warn that digging in the area could lead to
a long war of attrition that brings to mind the experience of the "Security
Belt" which ended with Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon in 2000.
In light of the escalation and Hezbollah's expansion of the scope of its
response to the Israeli aggression inside Israel, the Israeli website "Walla"
revealed that a number of heads of northern settlements fled the country
following the escalation of the party's rocket and drone attacks on settlements
near the Lebanese border. The website mentioned that five council and municipal
heads in areas within the direct threat zone of Hezbollah traveled abroad on
missions or visits described as "non-urgent," at a time when the region is
witnessing growing security tension.
Rising Intensity of Aggression in the South
Coinciding with Israeli threats to expand the scope of occupation and intensify
targetings, the South was a theater for moving aggression between cities and
towns, where Nabatiyeh and Tyre received the largest share of continuous raids
and artillery shelling. The occupation forces committed a massacre in the town
of Deir Zahrani, resulting, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health, in the
martyrdom of eight people and the injury of 19 others. Also, 13 Lebanese
healthcare workers were injured following an Israeli raid targeting the vicinity
of Hiram Hospital in the southern city of Tyre. The Lebanese Ministry of Health
said in a statement: "The Israeli enemy launched a raid on the immediate
vicinity of Hiram Hospital, leading to the injury of 13 of its staff members."
21 Hezbollah Operations
Hezbollah announced the execution of 21 military operations, which included
targeting Merkava tanks, Namer APCs, and Humvee vehicles belonging to the
Israeli army, alongside shelling gatherings of soldiers in Bayyadah, Qawzah,
Debbine, the vicinity of Beaufort Castle, and other sites in southern Lebanon.
The party also carried out a series of attacks using explosive loitering
munitions (suicide drones) targeting Israeli forces, vehicles, helipads, and
military sites, confirming direct hits on a number of targets.
Guarantees to Neutralize the Dahiyeh Collapse: Will Iran
Act?
Al-Modon / June 1, 2026 (google translation from Arabic)
It has become a given that Israel deliberately raises the level of escalation
ahead of each negotiation session in an attempt to impose new facts on the
ground and negotiate under fire instead of relying solely on the political and
diplomatic track. Hours before the convening of the fourth session of
negotiations, chaired by Ambassador Simon Karam and scheduled to last over two
days, the scene looked different this time, after the escalation bypassed the
framework of the South to reach the Southern Suburbs of Beirut (Dahiyeh), which
until recently was considered included in the truce linked to US-Iranian
understandings.
This comes as Lebanon looks forward to the fourth round to reach a clear Israeli
commitment to a ceasefire, after previous sessions failed to achieve this goal.
However, field data and Israeli escalation do not suggest the possibility of
reaching an imminent agreement, especially after the failure of the recent
security meeting between the Lebanese and Israeli delegations, sponsored by
Washington, to reach any understanding.
American Green Light and New Rules of Engagement
Israel today drew new rules of engagement in light of an American green light
manifested, according to circulated data, in the joint statement issued by
Israeli Occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli Security
Minister Israel Katz. This was reflected on the ground since the early hours of
the morning, as the Dahiyeh was emptied of its remaining residents under the
weight of Israeli threats and warnings.
Netanyahu and Katz announced in a joint statement that they had issued orders to
the IDF to target the Southern Suburbs of Beirut. Israel's Channel 14 reported
that Netanyahu's orders came in coordination with the United States of America,
noting that "the IDF is expected to issue evacuation orders in the Southern
Suburbs of Beirut soon."
Later, Netanyahu announced: "We are determined to restore security to the
residents of the North just as we did for the residents of the South, and we
continue to intensify our operations in southern Lebanon," stressing: "We will
not allow Hezbollah to attack our cities and citizens, and its headquarters in
the Dahiyeh in Beirut remain a forbidden zone." He added: "Hezbollah is in a
state of retreat and flight, and its centers in Beirut will not remain outside
our targeting scope."
Katz Links Beirut to the North
For his part, Katz raised the level of threat, saying: "If there is no quiet in
northern Israel, there will be no quiet in Beirut," in a clear attempt to
establish new equations and link the security of the Lebanese capital directly
to field developments on the northern front. Katz added: "We are turning the
Litani region into an area under Israeli security control, free of weapons and
armed men." He also considered that "what applies to the suburbs of Beirut
applies to the towns of northern Israel," noting that "the Israeli army
continues its operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon," stressing that it is
achieving "great achievements and working to destroy the party's capabilities."
A Bank of Targets in the Dahiyeh
In parallel, the Hebrew newspaper Maariv quoted an Israeli military source
saying that "the army will execute strikes on targets in the Dahiyeh as soon as
they are approved," speaking of estimates within the Israeli army that Hezbollah
leaders are operating from headquarters in the Dahiyeh and the Bekaa. According
to the same source, the party's leaders are transferring instructions from the
Dahiyeh and the Bekaa to headquarters in Tyre and Sidon, which are responsible
for executing rocket attacks against Israeli forces and Israeli territory. The
source explained that the Israeli army is currently working on identifying a
wide range of targets in preparation for launching attacks on the Dahiyeh, in
response to what he described as "Hezbollah's violations of the ceasefire."
Three Centers of Gravity
The military source revealed to Maariv that the target bank being prepared is
distributed across three main centers of gravity for Hezbollah, including human
targets, command and control infrastructure, and weapons and technology depots.
Human Targets: According to the source, these include "a long line of senior
leaders and officials of Hezbollah," foremost among them the Secretary-General
of the party, Naim Qassem.
Command and Control Infrastructure: This includes the party's command
headquarters, communication, and control rooms, through which the Israeli army
seeks to sever the chain of command and control within the party, according to
the Israeli narrative.
Weapons and Tech Depots: This third category includes weapons and missile
depots, in addition to residential apartments where the source claims Hezbollah
hides various missiles, as well as drone depots, laboratories, and technological
systems used by the party in its military operations.The source pointed out that
"it is not yet clear the scope of approval granted by the Israeli political
echelons to the army," explaining that the options on the table range from
limited and symbolic attacks to a broad military operation aimed at inflicting
significant damage on Hezbollah's centers of gravity in Lebanon.
Questions About the Truce and the Iranian Stance
Behind the scene of warnings and threats, questions emerge regarding the fate of
the truce, which is viewed as part of the broader understanding linked to
ongoing negotiations between the United States and Iran. Question marks are also
raised about the Iranian role, especially since Tehran had previously spoken
about neutralizing Beirut and the Dahiyeh within the framework of existing
understandings, opening the door to questioning the fate of these guarantees at
the current stage.
These positions and statements raise additional questions about the Iranian
stance on the Israeli aggression on Lebanon, and whether Tehran will intervene
if the Dahiyeh is subjected to extensive bombardment. This coincided with the
circulation of information stating that the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard
Corps (IRGC) is studying response options in the event that the Dahiyeh is
targeted.
In this context, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that "the
ceasefire between Iran and the United States is a comprehensive ceasefire on all
fronts, including Lebanon," pointing out that "its violation on any front is a
violation of the ceasefire on all fronts." He said: "The United States and
Israel bear responsibility for the consequences of any violation."
In tandem with these developments, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil
Baghaei stressed that a ceasefire in Lebanon constitutes an integral part of any
agreement aimed at ending the war. Baghaei said, during his weekly press
conference, that the region has witnessed continuous wars for eighty years with
American support, stressing that the Iranian diplomatic apparatus is closely
following developments, and that Tehran will take any necessary measure to
defend its sovereignty.
For his part, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said that "the
naval blockade and the escalation of war crimes in Lebanon are clear evidence of
the United States' non-compliance with the ceasefire." Likewise, the Iranian
Armed Forces warned Israel that "the continuation of crimes in Lebanon will not
be something we can tolerate."
Lebanon Between Negotiation and Escalation
While Lebanon heads to the fourth round of negotiations seeking an Israeli
commitment to a ceasefire, Israel is pushing the scene toward more tension by
moving the threat from the South to the Southern Suburbs of Beirut, expanding
the target bank, and raising the ceiling of political and military rhetoric.
Thus, it appears that the negotiation track is entering a more dangerous test,
where Israel is trying to improve its conditions under fire, while Lebanon
remains facing a delicate equation between seeking to stabilize the ceasefire
and containing the repercussions of any Israeli transition from making threats
to executing wide-scale strikes inside the capital and its surroundings.
Saudi Arabia condemns Israeli attacks on Lebanon,
rejects territorial incursions
Al Arabiya English/01 June ,2026
Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry on Monday condemned Israeli attacks on Lebanon
and rejected Israel’s incursion into Lebanese territory and violation of
Lebanon’s sovereignty. The Kingdom called on the international community to
“fulfill its responsibility” by stopping the attacks and putting an end to
Israeli military actions aimed at expanding into Lebanese territory. Saudi
Arabia also stressed the importance of protecting Lebanon’s sovereignty and its
people in accordance with relevant international agreements. The Kingdom further
underscored the importance of adhering to the Taif Agreement to ensure the
Lebanese state exercises sovereignty over all its territory, and of implementing
Lebanese government decisions to restrict arms to the state and its legitimate
institutions, saying such measures would help restore security and stability to
Lebanon and its people.
Lebanon’s Beaufort castle, a strategic landmark seized
by Israel
AFP/01 June ,2026
Israeli soldiers have captured a crusader-era castle in southern Lebanon that
has for centuries withstood invasions and battles, seizing once more a strategic
landmark they once occupied for nearly two decades. Israeli forces used the
Beaufort castle as a base during their previous two-decade occupation of
southern Lebanon that ended in 2000. As Israel seeks to extend its area of
control in Lebanon beyond the Litani river, the castle has once again emerged as
a strategic point -- and a heritage site at risk of being damaged by war.
Ancient castle, strategic location
The castle was originally built by the King of Jerusalem around 1137 and is “one
of the best-preserved examples of medieval castles in the Near East” according
to UNESCO.
The UN body has now rung the alarm on the safety of southern Lebanon’s ancient
monuments and landmarks, including Beaufort, as the conflict intensifies.
Perched on a lofty ridge that dominates southern Lebanon and northern Israel,
extending into the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, the stony redoubt has been
seized, lost, won again and abandoned by successive armies for nearly nine
centuries. Crusaders and Muslim forces once battled for control of the fortress,
which changed hands several times between them. Centuries later, its elevated
position and location about five kilometers from Lebanon’s southern border with
Israel have turned the castle once again into a strategic position as Israel
seeks to widen its ground invasion of Lebanon. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu said taking Beaufort was “a dramatic shift” on Sunday as he vowed to
push further into Lebanon. This came days after the Israeli military issued a
sweeping evacuation order to areas south of the Zahrani River, north of the
Litani and around 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the border. “This is the first
time that Israel is conquering the Beaufort since the withdrawal in 2000,” Orna
Mizrahi, a senior researcher at Israel’s Institute for National Security
Studies, told AFP. Amid threats to northern Israeli communities, “There was a
lot of pressure on the government, on the cabinet, to do something more,” she
said. “I think that this is one of the main motivations... to go to a deeper
military action in Lebanon.”
Civil war history
During Lebanon’s 1975-1990 civil war, Palestinian Liberation Organization
militants used the castle as an observation point in their fight against Israel.
Israel overran the fortress during its 1982 invasion of Lebanon, after a
prolonged battle with the Palestinian fighters hidden in the castle’s maze of
historic underground tunnels. The castle was damaged by violent bombardment in
the process. Israel used it as one of its main observation posts until its
troops withdrew in 2000, particularly for electronic listening, on the edge of
the central sector of its so-called security zone.
Latest strikes
On Sunday, the invading army’s banner was seen by AFP above the castle.
Hezbollah says its fighters are still battling Israeli troops near the fortress,
where it says it had no military presence.Earlier last week, an AFP
correspondent saw smoke rising near Beaufort castle after what appeared to be
artillery fire. Lebanon’s culture minister had told AFP that Israeli strikes on
the country’s south were endangering heritage sites and that “several bombs
fell” on the fortress. The region around the Beaufort castle is “the epicenter
of the battle being waged for the control of localities” close to it, in the
Nabatieh region, Ghassan Salame had told AFP.
The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on 01-02 June/2026
EU’s Kallas says Pakistan helped avert
US-Iran war, offers support for lasting peace deal
Yusra Asif, Al Arabiya English/01
June ,2026
The European Union is prepared to help secure a durable and peaceful resolution
between the United States and Iran, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on
Monday, praising Pakistan’s role in helping prevent a wider conflict between the
two countries. Speaking in Islamabad alongside Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister
and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Kallas said Pakistan had played a key diplomatic
role during the crisis. “Pakistan has been the main mediator between United
States and Iran, and your diplomatic efforts have helped to prevent the return
to full blown war on several occasions,” Kallas said. “These efforts are much
recognized and appreciated across Europe,” she added. Kallas said Pakistan’s
mediation helped create an opportunity to extend the ceasefire and reopen the
Strait of Hormuz, a vital global shipping route. However, she stressed that any
temporary understanding between Washington and Tehran would need to be followed
by broader negotiations addressing long-term concerns. “Lasting stability will
require more encompassing solutions,” Kallas said. The EU’s top diplomat said
Brussels was ready to contribute to efforts aimed at turning any ceasefire into
a sustainable peace agreement. “We bring economic leverage, hard won nuclear
expertise, longstanding relationships with partners across the Gulf and direct
engagement with Iran itself,” she said. “I see a concrete role for the EU
helping to make any eventual agreement durable, whether through maritime
operations, economic incentives that support long-term stability or other issues
here in the region,” Kallas said. The comments come after weeks of heightened
tensions between the United States and Iran that raised fears of a broader
regional conflict. Pakistan has repeatedly called for dialogue and has engaged
with regional and international stakeholders to reduce tensions and support
diplomatic solutions. A ceasefire between the United States and Iran has opened
the door to renewed diplomatic engagement.
US-Iran truce very likely to end if
attacks on Lebanon continue, Iran state TV says
Al Arabiya English/01 June ,2026
Iran’s state TV said on Monday that the probability of the ceasefire between
Tehran and Washington ending is high if Israeli attacks on Lebanon do not
stop.State TV did not give further details. Earlier, a news agency affiliated
with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), said that Tehran’s
negotiating team was stopping exchanges of messages with the United States
through mediators due to attacks on Lebanon, as diplomatic efforts to end the
three-month-old Iran war continue. The Tasnim news agency said Iran and the
“Resistance Front,” which includes its Shia allies in Yemen, Lebanon and Iraq,
have set an agenda to completely block the Strait of Hormuz and activate other
fronts, including the Bab al-Mandeb 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-Mandeb Strait off the coast of
Yemen, a key shipping chokepoint and narrow passageway that controls sea traffic
toward 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. The war launched by the US and
Israel on February 28 has killed thousands of people, mainly in Iran and
Lebanon. It has also caused global economic pain by pushing up energy prices
since Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global supply route
for oil and liquefied natural gas. “The immediate cessation of the Zionist
regime’s aggressive and brutal army operations in Gaza and Lebanon and the
necessity of the regime’s complete withdrawal from the occupied areas in Lebanon
have been emphasized by Iranian officials and negotiators, and there will be no
talks until Iran and the resistance’s views on this matter are met,” Tasnim
added. With Reuters
Iran warns US ceasefire at risk, threatens new attacks on Israel
Al Arabiya English/01 June ,2026
Iran’s main military command warned on Monday that if Israel carries out attacks
on the Lebanese capital of Beirut, residents of northern Israel should leave the
area if they do not want to be harmed. The warning came as Mohsen Rezaei, an
advisor to Iran’s supreme leader, said that further escalation in Lebanon “will
not be tolerated,” adding in a post on X that “the patience of the armed forces
of the Islamic Republic of Iran has a limit.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered strikes on the
Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs of Beirut on Monday, triggering another
wave of displacement in a conflict that has already uprooted more than one
million people in Lebanon. The Iranian foreign ministry said in a statement that
the US bears responsibility for violations of the ceasefire with Iran and
ceasefire violations committed by Israel in Lebanon. It said a ceasefire
violation in one front was equivalent to violation on all fronts. The latest
tensions threaten a fragile ceasefire between Iran and the United States that
came into effect on April 8 after 39 days of war. Since then, the two sides have
engaged in contacts aimed at turning the truce into a broader agreement but no
final deal has been reached. Iran has repeatedly insisted that the ceasefire
must apply across all fronts, particularly Lebanon, where the Tehran-backed
Hezbollah militia has been fighting Israel. Iranian officials have warned that
continued Israeli attacks in Lebanon could jeopardize the truce and broader
diplomatic efforts.Earlier on Monday, Iranian state television reported that the
likelihood of the ceasefire between Tehran and Washington collapsing was high if
Israeli attacks on Lebanon continued. Separately, Tasnim, a news agency
affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), reported that
Tehran’s negotiating team had suspended exchanges of messages with the United
States through mediators in response to the attacks on Lebanon.
Mutual US-Iranian Attacks and Trump: "Iran
Wants a Deal"
Al-Modon / June 1, 2026
The United States stated that it bombed Iranian military sites over the weekend,
while the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Monday that
it targeted an American base in retaliation. This marks the latest episode in a
series of retaliatory attacks, despite negotiations aimed at ending the war that
erupted three months ago.Intermittent strikes have occurred between the United
States and Iran since their ceasefire took effect in early April, coinciding
with ongoing diplomatic efforts to reach a more resilient agreement. A similar
exchange took place last Thursday, which both sides described in nearly
identical terms. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) stated in a post on "X" that
the weekend strikes came in response to "hostile Iranian actions, which included
the downing of an American MQ-1 aircraft flying over international waters."
CENTCOM said: "U.S. fighter aircraft responded swiftly, destroying Iranian air
defenses, a ground control station, and two one-way attack drones that posed
clear threats to vessels transiting regional waters."
It added that it would continue to protect American assets and interests during
the current ceasefire. The Iranian IRGC stated on Monday that it targeted an
airbase used by the United States to launch an attack on southern Iran, without
specifying the base. The official Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) reported that the
country's air defenses—where a major US base is located—intercepted missile and
drone attacks on Monday, while sirens wailed across the country, without
providing further details.
The war, initiated by the United States and Israel on February 28, has claimed
the lives of thousands of people, mostly in Iran and Lebanon, and caused a
global economic crisis by driving up energy prices due to Iran's effective
closure of the Strait of Hormuz. US President Donald Trump has stated that his
primary objective in the war is to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon
using highly enriched uranium. Tehran consistently denies having plans to do so.
In a late-night social media post, Trump dismissed the exchange of fire, merely
repeating his rhetoric—unsupported by facts so far—that Iran "really wants to
make a deal." He fiercely attacked his critics, including those he described as
"apparently unpatriotic Republicans," for their negative "chatter" regarding the
negotiations. He said: "Relax and rest assured, everything will turn out fine—as
always!" Trump is under pressure to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and lower
gasoline prices in the United States ahead of the Congressional elections in
November, as voters show growing dissatisfaction with rising prices. At the same
time, Trump faces a potentially fierce backlash from hardline members of his own
party if he makes any concessions to Tehran. Oil prices rose by about two
percent in Asia on Monday as traders remain in anticipation amid a lack of
progress between Washington and Tehran. The two sides remain at odds over
several other issues, such as Tehran's demands to lift sanctions and release
tens of billions of dollars in Iranian oil revenues frozen in foreign banks.
Israel's war in Lebanon against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah group poses another
major obstacle. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that he
had ordered forces to expand their presence in Lebanon as part of the battle
against the armed Hezbollah group. An American official stated that Secretary of
State Marco Rubio spoke with both Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Netanyahu
regarding diplomatic negotiations between Israel and Lebanon, proposing a plan
that allows for a "gradual de-escalation."
Iran eyes limited US deal to relieve economic strain and buy time
Reuters/Published: 01 June ,2026
In January, Iran’s clerical establishment and the IRGC killed thousands while
suppressing nationwide protests sparked by economic grievances. Iran is pushing
for a limited interim agreement with the United States in a bid to ease mounting
economic pressure and stabilize the situation at home, while avoiding major
concessions on its nuclear program, according to sources and analysts. The
approach reflects a familiar playbook for the Islamic Republic: absorb pressure,
avoid irreversible compromises and keep negotiations alive without shifting core
positions, three Iranian sources close to decision-makers said. But the latest
push is also driven by more immediate concerns. Officials see a narrow deal as a
way to buy time, unlock financial relief and contain rising domestic risks over
a deteriorating economy without addressing the most contentious issues. The
diplomatic maneuvering follows weeks of escalation after US-Israeli strikes in
late February spiraled into a broader regional conflict. Iranian attacks across
the Gulf heightened fears over the security of the Strait of Hormuz, a
chokepoint for roughly a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies.
Three months on, and despite a fragile ceasefire in early April, the conflict
has hardened into a stalemate. A US blockade on Iranian ports and Tehran’s grip
on the Strait have sustained mutual pressure, driving up economic costs while
leaving the risk of renewed fighting unresolved. Against that backdrop, both
sides have lowered expectations of a comprehensive settlement. Instead, they are
exploring what officials describe as a temporary memorandum — effectively an
interim deal — aimed at preventing a return to open conflict while deferring
core disputes over Iran’s nuclear activities.
Tehran seeks breathing space
For Tehran, such an arrangement is primarily a means of converting military and
economic pressure into liquidity, breathing space and de-escalation, without
curbing sensitive nuclear work. Iran is seeking an end to hostilities across all
fronts, including Lebanon, access to billions of dollars in oil revenues,
waivers on crude exports, a lifting of the US port blockade and continued
leverage over the strait — while postponing decisions on the most contentious
issues. The framework would center on temporary easing and phased access through
the waterway, leaving unresolved questions over enrichment capacity and Tehran’s
stockpile of highly enriched uranium, including material enriched to 60 percent.
Alex Vatanka, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute in Washington, said
Tehran’s calculation is shaped less by battlefield risks than by economic
pressure and uncertainty. “Iranian leaders understand that time is not
necessarily on their side... their calculation appears to be that dialogue, even
limited dialogue, is preferable to entering an open-ended period of economic
attrition and uncertainty that could gradually weaken its ability to govern at
home and project influence abroad.”
Tehran fears protest revival
Much rests on the success of negotiations. President Donald Trump is under
pressure to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and curb US fuel prices, while fending
off criticism from Iran hawks in his own Republican party over any concessions
to Tehran. Iran’s leadership also faces domestic pressures. Years of sanctions,
economic mismanagement and conflict have fueled inflation, currency depreciation
and a sharp decline in living standards. Short-term financial inflows are
therefore crucial to Tehran’s interest in a preliminary deal, the sources said,
as they could keep the economy running, ease immediate pressures and stave off a
resurgence of unrest. In January, Iran’s clerical establishment and the IRGC
killed thousands while suppressing nationwide protests sparked by economic
grievances. Hamidreza Azizi, a visiting fellow at the German Institute for
International and Security Affairs (SWP) in Berlin, said a memorandum could also
address mounting concerns about the long-term resilience of the system. “By
ending the conflict, reducing economic strain, removing US military pressure
around Iran, and creating space for reconstruction, an MoU could help prevent a
gradual erosion of state capacity and governance,” Azizi said.
Strait remains Iran’s leverage
The Strait of Hormuz remains central to Iran’s leverage. Within the clerical
establishment, it is increasingly seen less as a bargaining chip than as a
durable strategic asset. Any arrangement that restores shipping while preserving
that leverage would leave Tehran’s influence over the chokepoint intact, the
sources said, allowing flows to resume while stability remains tied to political
negotiation. One source said a limited deal would effectively restore prewar
conditions without forcing Iran to yield to Washington’s demands, adding: “With
the start of the war, Trump gave Iran the gift of control over the Strait.”
The War on Iran: Negotiations to End the War Falter
Al-Modon / June 1, 2026
On Monday, Iran accused the United States of continuing to violate the
staggering ceasefire after bombing one of its ports, stressing that it is not
currently discussing its nuclear file with Washington at a time when
negotiations aimed at ending the war in the Middle East are faltering.
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said in a weekly press conference:
"The United States is violating the ceasefire, including this morning." He
added, "We will not hesitate to take all measures we deem necessary to defend
Iranian national security."
This comes after the US military announced that it launched a series of strikes
on Saturday and Sunday, describing them as "defensive," targeting southern
Iran—the third such wave in about a week. These strikes targeted radar and drone
control systems in Goruk and Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, according to
a statement by the US Central Command (CENTCOM) on the "X" platform on Sunday.
The US military stated that these operations were carried out in response to
Iranian acts of war, including the downing of an American drone operating over
international waters. Shortly thereafter, the Iranian IRGC said its forces
targeted a base used by the US military to launch strikes against Iran, without
specifying its location. Shortly before that, the Kuwaiti military had announced
that it was confronting a missile and drone attack.
Regarding negotiations with the United States, Baghaei confirmed that they do
not currently include any discussions on the Iranian nuclear program, saying:
"At this stage, our priority is ending the war." American media reports over the
past two days had indicated that Washington has tightened its demands on Tehran,
dampening hopes for an imminent agreement.
British Agency: Explosion on a Ship Near Um Qasr, Investigations Underway
Riyadh - Al Arabiya.net / June 1, 2026
A cargo ship was subjected to a mysterious incident in the waters near the Iraqi
coast after it was struck by a projectile or a foreign object off the port of Um
Qasr, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO). The
incident has renewed concerns regarding maritime security in the northern
Arabian Gulf. The British maritime agency stated that it received a report of an
incident that occurred approximately 40 nautical miles southeast of the Iraqi
city of Um Qasr, explaining that a "foreign object" collided with the starboard
side of a cargo ship sailing in the area. The agency added that initial
information indicates the ship suffered a direct hit from a projectile, but
emphasized that investigations are still underway to determine the nature of the
object that caused the incident and the party responsible for it. It clarified
that there are no indicators so far of pollution or environmental impact
resulting from the incident, nor did initial reports indicate any injuries among
the crew members. Hours earlier, "Al Arabiya" sources had reported that a giant
Panama-flagged vessel suffered an explosion inside Iraqi territorial waters,
without the causes of the incident or the extent of the resulting damage being
clear at that time. The port of Um Qasr is located in the far south of Iraq on
the Arabian Gulf; it is the country's main maritime gateway and a vital hub for
trade and the import of goods and commodities. Over the past years, the Gulf
region has witnessed a series of incidents targeting commercial vessels and oil
tankers, whether via naval mines, drones, or missile attacks, making maritime
security one of the most prominent security files in the region. During periods
of tension between Iran and the United States, several commercial vessels were
subjected to attacks or sabotage operations near the Strait of Hormuz and the
Gulf of Oman, prompting international powers to reinforce their naval presence
to protect international shipping lanes.Iraqi authorities have not yet issued
official details regarding the incident or the identity of the affected ship,
while competent authorities continue to gather information and assess the
damage. The incident comes at a time when the region is witnessing escalating
security tensions on more than one front, from Lebanon to the Gulf, increasing
the significance of any incident affecting navigation or commercial vessels in
vital waterways. The results of the investigations over the coming hours or days
are expected to reveal more details about the nature of the explosion and
whether it resulted from a hostile act, a technical malfunction, or an
accidental collision.
US Military: We Intercepted Two Iranian Ballistic Missiles Targeting Our Forces
in Kuwait
Riyadh - Al Arabiya / June 1, 2026
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Monday the interception of two
Iranian ballistic missiles that were targeting US forces stationed in Kuwait,
confirming that they were shot down immediately without recording any injuries
among American soldiers.
In a statement posted on the "X" platform, it noted that the interception took
place at 11:00 PM Eastern Time, confirming that all US military personnel are
safe and were not harmed as a result of the attack. CENTCOM added that its
forces remain on high alert and will continue to protect their personnel from
any Iranian "threats or aggression," while continuing to support the ceasefire
in effect between the two sides since April 8. These developments came after the
US military announced that it launched a series of "defensive" strikes on
Saturday and Sunday in southern Iran—the third in about a week. These strikes
targeted radar and drone control systems in Goruk and Qeshm Island in the Strait
of Hormuz, according to a statement by CENTCOM on the "X" platform on Sunday.
The US military also stated that these operations were carried out in response
to Iranian acts of war, including the downing of an American drone operating
over international waters. Hours later, the Iranian IRGC said its forces
targeted a base used by the US military to launch strikes against Iran, without
specifying its location. Shortly before that, the Kuwaiti army had announced
that it was confronting a missile and drone attack, according to Agence France-Presse
(AFP). The United States and Iran have intermittently exchanged strikes since
the ceasefire took effect on April 8, amid ongoing negotiations aimed at
reaching an agreement to end the war. Meanwhile, the suffocating US blockade on
Iranian ports has continued, alongside a paralysis in shipping traffic through
the Strait of Hormuz—through which one-fifth of global oil and gas shipments
pass—due to Iranian threats to cargo ships, which has driven up oil prices
worldwide since the war erupted on February 28.
Trump now says US left Iran’s military
‘alone’ after weeks of boasting that he destroyed its forces
John Bowden/The Independent/June 1,
2026
Donald Trump has now said that Iran’s military was largely untouched by U.S.
strikes over the past three months, contradicting countless statements he has
made and continues to make about the scale of America’s successes in the ongoing
war. The president spoke in an interview that aired Saturday with his
daughter-in-law Lara Trump on Fox News. As the war in Iran now runs past the
three-month mark, the U.S. remains mired in a stalemate with Iran under the
shadow of a shaky ceasefire that Trump is now considering an offer to extend for
another 60 days. A war that the president and his team have long insisted would
be over in “days” or even just a few weeks is now at a flashpoint with the U.S.
having proven largely unable to forcibly open the Strait of Hormuz, a key
waterway for global energy shipping traffic.
Negotiations continue, but details of a pending agreement to extend the
ceasefire indicate that the sides are still far apart on the eventual question
of Iran’s nuclear program, including its future enrichment capabilities. On
Saturday, Trump gave another description of the U.S. operation, and seemed to
break from his past claims of having obliterated Iran’s military. After saying
Iran’s navy and air force were “totally gone”, the president then commented on
Iran’s “military”, telling Lara Trump: “Their military, we’ve sort of left it
alone, because we think that their military is somewhat, somewhat moderate ...
We’ve actually left their military alone. People would be surprised to hear
that.”He went on to claim that leaving Iran’s “military” intact was necessary to
keep the country from collapsing into chaos as had occurred in areas of Iraq and
Syria with the rise of the Islamic State, partially caused by the power vacuum
resulting from the U.S.-led purge of Saddam Hussein’s party from Iraq’s
government after the 2003 invasion.
“Mistakes have been made in wars where you wipe out everybody and then you have
a country that, for 40 years, you can never rebuild,” Trump said, pointing to
Iraq specifically. This was the first mention the president appears to have made
about avoiding U.S. strikes against specific parts of Iran’s armed forces. But
he seemed to contradict it only moments later, in the same interview.“Iran is in
a very bad position. They have no military, all they have is good talk and a
fake press,” said the president. The confusing and seemingly opposite stances
were explained away by some experts and the president’s supporters on X as a
verbal slip-up, with Trump supposedly having meant to refer to Iran’s IRGC, the
Revolutionary Guard Corps, as he was referring to Iran having “no military”
remaining.
But the president’s actual words made no mention of the IRGC. “Now we know why
Trump still hasn’t been able to open the Straight of Hormuz. It’s because, in
the cognitively impaired mind of Trump, Iran cleverly has the only Schrödinger
military in the world: it exists and it doesn’t exist all at the same time,”
quipped Rep. Ted Lieu, a Democrat from California, in a tweet responding to a
clip of the exchange shared on X. Lieu added in another tweet, responding to one
of Trump’s angry defenders: “I didn’t hear trump say IRGC. He said military both
times.”And the apparent slip-up comes as the U.S. still has not inked a deal to
extend the ceasefire, despite it being reported as early as last Thursday that
the agreement was finalised and awaiting the president’s approval. U.S.
officials claimed last week that the agreement would see the immediate reopening
of the Strait of Hormuz, while conversations began anew about the nuclear
program and Iran’s desires for U.S. sanctions relief, as well as the possible
release of funds tied up in western financial systems.
It remains unclear if the delay is due to Trump’s own hesitance to anger his
neoconservative Iran hawk allies, who were adamantly opposed to sanctions relief
or releasing frozen Iranian funds during the Obama administration’s negotiations
around the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, or whether negotiators continue to touch up
the proposed agreement. Vice President JD Vance told reporters on Thursday that
parts of the deal were still being tinkered with. The Trump administration is
heading into the summer months with gas prices slowly ticking downwards (mostly
due to optimism around ceasefire talks) after the national average jumped by
more than a dollar per gallon with the war’s onset. Experts have warned that
some price increases will likely remain in place for months, even if traffic
through the Strait begins increasing, and the possibility always remains that
hostilities could resume in the area. Trump’s proclamations about the war and
the strength of Iran’s military continue to be met with doubt, as Iranian forces
have made clear that they have the resources and ability to continue harassing
shipping traffic in the Strait in a manner that can cause severe impacts to the
global economy. Iran’s government has also not collapsed, despite initial
proclamations from the president’s allies and some in his administration that
regime change would be a major part of the U.S.’s goals.
Ceasefire very likely to end if Israeli
attacks on Lebanon persist, Iranian TV says
Yomna Ehab.DUBAI, June 01 (Reuters)/June 1, 2026
DUBAI, June 1 (Reuters) - A ceasefire agreed between Iran and the United States
in early April is very likely to end if Israeli attacks on Tehran-backed
Hezbollah in Lebanon persist, Iranian state TV said on Monday, without providing
further details.
Earlier, the Iranian state news agency Tasnim said Tehran was halting indirect
negotiations with the U.S. after Israel ordered its troops to push deeper into
Lebanon, complicating diplomatic efforts to end three months of war. There was
no immediate confirmation of the reports from Iranian officials, while U.S.
President Donald Trump told an NBC reporter that he had not heard from Iran on
any suspension of talks. Trump also said too much was said publicly, adding: "I
think going silent would be very good". In its report, Tasnim said Iran's
negotiating team was stopping exchanging messages with Washington through
mediators over attacks on Lebanon, where the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran has
reignited Israel's conflict with Hezbollah. The move poses a further obstacle to
hopes of a swift end to the crisis, after Iran said it had attacked a U.S. air
base following weekend U.S. strikes on Iranian military targets that put further
strain on a fragile ceasefire. Oil prices rose more than $6 a barrel after the
Tasnim report.
ISRAELI ATTACKS IN LEBANON
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered attacks on the
Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs of Beirut on Monday, prompting another
wave of displacement in a conflict that has already uprooted more than 1 million
people in Lebanon. Netanyahu's office accused Hezbollah of repeated violations
of a ceasefire agreed in late April. Trump earlier reiterated on social media
that he believed Tehran wants to reach a deal. But hopes of a breakthrough were
tempered by comments by Iranian officials criticising the "constantly changing"
U.S. negotiating stance. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi also raised
Lebanon, where another ceasefire is in place, as a stumbling block."Violation on
one front is a violation of the ceasefire on all fronts. The U.S. and Israel are
responsible for the consequences of any violation," he said on X. Responding to
Israeli evacuation warnings to Beirut residents, the commander of Iran's Khatam
al-Anbiya Central Command, Ali Abdollahi, said in a statement carried by state
media that people living in northern Israel should "leave the area if they do
not want to be harmed". The war launched by the U.S. and Israel on February 28
has killed thousands of people, mainly in Iran and Lebanon. It has also caused
global economic pain by pushing up energy prices since Iran effectively closed
the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global supply route for oil and liquefied natural
gas.
FRAYING CEASEFIRES
Tasnim said Iran and the Resistance Front, which includes its Shi'ite allies in
Yemen, Lebanon and Iraq, had set an agenda to completely block the strait and
activate other fronts, including the Bab El Mandeb Strait, 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 El Mandeb Strait off the coast
of Yemen, a shipping chokepoint and narrow passageway that controls sea traffic
towards the Suez Canal. Referring to Iran's demands on Lebanon, Tasnim said
"there will be no talks until Iran and the resistance's views on this matter are
met."According to Iranian sources close to decision-makers, Tehran is pushing
for a limited interim agreement with the U.S. in a bid to ease mounting economic
pressure and stabilise the situation at home, while avoiding major concessions
on its nuclear programme. Iran and the U.S. have sporadically traded blows
despite their ceasefire, while Pakistan has been trying to mediate a durable
peace agreement. Pakistan's Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar expressed
concern about the sustainability of the ceasefire on Monday during talks with
his Iranian counterpart Araqchi, the Pakistani foreign ministry said. The U.S.
military said it had at the weekend struck Iranian air defences, a ground
control station and two drones that were threatening ships after "aggressive
Iranian actions", including shooting down a U.S. drone over international
waters. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said on Monday it had targeted
an air base used by the U.S. in response to an attack on southern Iran. It did
not identify the base, but Kuwait activated air defences on Monday and denounced
Iranian missile and drone attacks, which it said were undermining efforts to
reduce tensions in the region. U.S. forces intercepted two Iranian ballistic
missiles targeting American forces based in Kuwait late on Sunday, the U.S.
military said on Monday, adding that no American personnel were harmed.
TRUMP UNDER PRESSURE
Trump is under pressure to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and get U.S. gasoline
prices down before November congressional elections, as voters show increasing
frustration over rising prices. At the same time, he faces a potential backlash
from Iran hawks in his own party over any concessions to Tehran. Trump has said
his main aim in the war is to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon
with its highly enriched uranium. Tehran denies planning to develop a nuclear
arsenal. The sides are also at odds on other issues, such as Tehran's demands
for the lifting of sanctions and the release of tens of billions of dollars of
Iranian oil revenue frozen in foreign banks. Iran also wants the U.S. to lift a
blockade of its ports, imposed after Tehran effectively blocked the Strait of
Hormuz earlier in the war.
Trump says he ‘couldn’t care less’ about Iran peace: ‘Oil
will be dropping like a rock’
Andrew Feinberg/The Independent/June 01/2026
President Donald Trump on Monday said he has little interest in whether Iran
continues negotiations with the U.S. after Tehran claimed to have cut off
communications with Washington over Israeli attacks on their Hezbollah allies in
Lebanon. In an interview with CNBC following reports that Iran had decided to
suspend participation in the ongoing talks, he told the cable network: “I don’t
care if they’re over, honestly.” “I really don’t care. I couldn’t care less,”
Trump said. He added that the long-running negotiations had “started to get very
boring.”
He also told NBC News earlier in the day that the U.S. should “go silent” in the
talks because “we have been talking too much.”Donald Trump, pictured on 27 May,
wrote on Truth Social on Monday that Iran .The president’s comments came not
long after Iran’s state-affiliated news agency Tasnim said that Iran's
negotiating team would cease exchanging messages with the United States through
mediators over attacks on Lebanon. A statement shared with the outlet said
there’d be “no talks until Iran’s demands on cessation of Israeli operations in
Lebanon and Gaza are met.”Trump also told CNBC he’d be speaking with Israeli
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for an update on “what’s going on with
Lebanon” and later posted on Truth Social that the Israeli leader had assured
him that “there will be no Troops going to Beirut, and any Troops that are on
their way, have already been turned back.”He added that Hezbollah had “agreed
that all shooting will stop” following a call between “highly-placed
representatives” of the group and himself. The report of Iran’s pullback from
talks led oil prices to spike after a weekend lull following what appeared to be
progress in ending the three-month-old conflict last week.
But Trump told CNBC he wasn’t concerned about the oil price levels that have
caused his approval rating to drop inversely with the price of gasoline in the
U.S.“I think the oil will be dropping like a rock in the very near, you know,
the very near distance,” he said. before adding that he was in no hurry to
resume negotiations with Tehran. “If they’re over, they’re over. If they’re not,
you know, I think they took too much time,” he said.
on 01-02 June/2026
Turkey's Palestinian State Fantasy After October 7, 2023
Khaled Abu Toameh/Gatestone Institute/June 01/2026
For years, Israel was told that economic development, international aid, and
territorial withdrawals would moderate Hamas. Instead, Hamas used billions of
dollars in foreign assistance to build military tunnels, manufacture rockets,
train terrorists, and prepare for war.
The result was the slaughter of 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals, as well as
the kidnapping of more than 250 others.
Turkey nevertheless appears determined to ignore this reality.
Before demanding the creation of a Palestinian state, Turkish leaders, and
others, should answer a simple question: How would such a state be prevented
from becoming another Hamas-ruled Gaza? No one in Ankara or anywhere else
appears willing to provide an answer.
Turkey, and others, instead continue to present Palestinian statehood as a
magical solution to the conflict while avoiding the far more difficult questions
about terrorism, anti-Israel incitement, Iranian influence, and the refusal of
Palestinian leaders to accept Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state.
What makes the position of Turkey and the others even more remarkable is that
they place all responsibility on Israel while making virtually no demands of
Hamas, such as abandoning terrorism, disarming and recognizing Israel's right to
exist.
For the past century, Palestinian and Arab leaders have rejected multiple
opportunities to establish a Palestinian state alongside Israel.
This pattern [of Palestinian leaders refusing a Palestinian state] raises a
legitimate question: Was statehood ever the primary objective? Or was the larger
goal always the elimination of Israel?
[T]he conflict is not actually about land and borders. Hamas and its supporters
in the West Bank do not seek a state alongside Israel. They seek a state instead
of Israel.
It is hard to believe that those pressing for a Palestinian state, including
many European countries and the United Nations, do not know all this – which
raises another legitimate question: Are they, too, actively trying to bring
about the annihilation of Israel?
For years, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has claimed that "Jerusalem is
ours," based on his reported goal of reconstructing the Ottoman Empire. Just a
year ago, he called for Israel's destruction.
In 2024, Erdogan threatened to invade Israel. A recent credible report concluded
that "Turkey has been quietly preparing for a war, with Israel the primary
target," with Israel "now framed as a fundamental national security threat" in
Turkey's strategic doctrine.
Before lecturing Israel about Palestinian statehood, Ankara should focus on a
more urgent task: pressuring Hamas to abandon its genocidal goal of eliminating
the Jewish state.
Until that happens, Turkey's proposal is not a roadmap to peace. It is a
blueprint for the next war. For years, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
has claimed, "Jerusalem is ours." Just a year ago, he called for Israel's
destruction. In 2024, he threatened to invade Israel. If Turkey wants stability,
why is it providing support and political legitimacy to an organization whose
charter calls for Israel's destruction?
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan recently declared that Israel could
eventually become part of a proposed regional security framework that would
include Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Pakistan, the Gulf states, and even Iran.
There is, however, one condition: Israel must first recognize a Palestinian
state on the 1949 armistice lines.
"If that problem is solved, I think the security of Israel will be very much
assisted by the regional countries, too," Fidan told the Japanese news agency
Nikkei Asia.
The proposal would be laughable if it were not so dangerous.
Less than three years after the October 7, 2023 Hamas invasion of Israel – the
deadliest attack against Jews since the Holocaust – Turkey and others are still
promoting the same failed formula that produced disaster in the first place:
Israeli territorial concessions first, security later.
The Hamas-led invasion of Israel should have buried forever the illusion that
creating another Palestinian-controlled territory automatically leads to peace
and stability. Instead, October 7 demonstrated what happens when an Islamist
movement is allowed to establish a mini-state on Israel's border. Such a
mini-state already did exist: in the Gaza Strip, after Hamas initiated a violent
coup in 2007 and seized control of the coastal territory. Hamas overthrew the
Palestinian Authority while killing hundreds of Palestinians, some of whom were
thrown from rooftops or tortured and executed in the public squares.
It is worth remembering that in the summer of 2005, Israel had already withdrawn
every soldier and Jewish civilian from the Gaza Strip. For years, Israel was
told that economic development, international aid, and territorial withdrawals
would moderate Hamas. Instead, Hamas used billions of dollars in foreign
assistance to build military tunnels, manufacture rockets, train terrorists, and
prepare for war. The result was the slaughter of 1,200 Israelis and foreign
nationals, as well as the kidnapping of more than 250 others.
Turkey nevertheless appears determined to ignore this reality.
Before demanding the creation of a Palestinian state, Turkish leaders, and
others, should answer a simple question: How would such a state be prevented
from becoming another Hamas-ruled Gaza? No one in Ankara or anywhere else
appears willing to provide an answer.
Turkey, and others, instead continue to present Palestinian statehood as a
magical solution to the conflict while avoiding the far more difficult questions
about terrorism, anti-Israel incitement, Iranian influence, and the refusal of
Palestinian leaders to accept Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state.What
makes the position of Turkey and the others even more remarkable is that they
place all responsibility on Israel while making virtually no demands of Hamas,
such as abandoning terrorism, disarming and recognizing Israel's right to exist.
The fundamental obstacle to peace has always been the refusal of Hamas, and many
other Palestinians, to accept Israel's legitimacy within any borders. The events
of October 7, 2023 only reinforced that reality. The history of the conflict
raises hard questions for those who continue to argue that the absence of a
Palestinian state is the root cause of the conflict.
For the past century, Palestinian and Arab leaders have rejected multiple
opportunities to establish a Palestinian state alongside Israel. The 1947 UN
Partition Plan proposed the creation of both a Jewish and Arab state. The Jewish
leadership accepted it; the Arab side rejected it, and a year later the armies
of Egypt, Transjordan (today's Jordan), Syria, Lebanon and Iraq invaded the new
State of Israel. At Camp David in 2000, US President Bill Clinton invested
enormous efforts in attempting to broker a final-status agreement between
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser
Arafat.
Clinton presented his famous parameters, which envisioned a Palestinian state in
nearly all of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with east Jerusalem serving as the
capital.
Israel accepted the framework as a basis for negotiations. Arafat not only
rejected the plan without even a counteroffer, but shortly after, launched a war
he had been planning, the Second Intifada, to deflect attention from his
refusal.
Years later, Clinton expressed frustration that many younger people were unaware
of what had happened. They could not believe that a Palestinian state had once
been within reach. "I killed myself to give the Palestinians a state," Clinton
said. "I had a deal they turned down."
In 2008, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert made a groundbreaking, far-reaching
two-state solution proposal to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
Olmert's plan called for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state
on 95% of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Abbas effectively rejected the offer and
walked away, again without so much as a counterproposal. "I did not agree,"
Abbas later acknowledged. "I rejected it out of hand."
One may debate the shortcomings of each recommendation and the reasons
Palestinian leaders rejected them. Yet one undeniable fact remains: Palestinian
leaders passed on opportunities to establish a state. This pattern raises a
legitimate question: Was statehood ever the primary objective? Or was the larger
goal always the elimination of Israel?
The popularity of Hamas among many Palestinians before and after October 7
offers troubling evidence that the conflict is not actually about land and
borders. Hamas and its supporters in the West Bank do not seek a state alongside
Israel. They seek a state instead of Israel.
Turkey's latest proposal – and its statements – completely sidestep this
reality.
It is hard to believe that those pressing for a Palestinian state, including
many European countries and the United Nations, do not know all this – which
raises another legitimate question: Are they, too, actively trying to bring
about the annihilation of Israel?
For years, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has claimed that "Jerusalem is
ours" (also here and here), based on his reported goal of reconstructing the
Ottoman Empire. Just a year ago, he called for Israel's destruction. In 2024,
Erdogan threatened to invade Israel. A recent credible report concluded that
"Turkey has been quietly preparing for a war, with Israel the primary target,"
with Israel "now framed as a fundamental national security threat" in Turkey's
strategic doctrine.
Just as troubling is Ankara's own relationship with Hamas. Turkey has hosted
senior Hamas officials on its territory. Israeli and Western security officials
have repeatedly accused Hamas operatives based in Turkey of coordinating
terrorist activities, raising funds, and helping direct attacks against Israel.
Rather than pressuring Hamas to disarm and abandon terrorism, Erdogan has
repeatedly embraced Hamas leaders and portrayed them as legitimate
representatives of the Palestinian people. If Turkey is serious about regional
security, why is it not demanding that Hamas surrender its weapons? If Turkey
genuinely seeks peace, why is it not insisting that Hamas and many other
Palestinians recognize Israel? If Turkey wants stability, why is it providing
support and political legitimacy to an organization whose charter calls for
Israel's destruction?
Equally puzzling is Turkey's claim that a regional security alliance would
somehow guarantee Israel's security.
Where were these regional security guarantees when Iran was arming Hamas,
Hezbollah, the Houthis, Iraqi militias and other terrorist proxies? Why would
Israel place its security in the hands of countries that have repeatedly failed
to stop Iranian aggression? Why would Israel join a security mechanism that
includes states that either tolerate or actively support anti-Israel forces?
Before October 7, 2023, many Israelis still believed that territorial
concessions could eventually produce peace. After October 7, the overwhelming
majority understand that any future Palestinian state could easily become
another Iranian-backed Islamist stronghold dedicated to Israel's destruction.
Turkey's leaders may dislike this reality, but they cannot ignore it. Before
lecturing Israel about Palestinian statehood, Ankara should focus on a more
urgent task: pressuring Hamas to abandon its genocidal goal of eliminating the
Jewish state.
Until that happens, Turkey's proposal is not a roadmap to peace. It is a
blueprint for the next war.
**Khaled Abu Toameh is an award-winning journalist based in Jerusalem.
**Follow Khaled Abu Toameh on X (formerly Twitter)
© 2026 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do
not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute.
6 Essential Requirements for a Good Iran Nuclear Deal
Andrea Stricker/FDD/June 01/2026
A new U.S.-Iran nuclear deal may soon emerge — or at least an initial memorandum
of understanding (MOU) to be fleshed out over 60 days. President Donald Trump
pledged on May 27 that the United States will resolve the conflict with Iran
peacefully and lift its naval blockade of Iranian ports — but only if Tehran
agrees to a truly “great” nuclear agreement. If not, Washington will finish the
job militarily.
Escalating pressure, both economically and militarily, is the right approach.
The Obama administration’s weak P5+1 nuclear agreements with the regime in 2013
and 2015 left Tehran’s pathway to acquiring nuclear weapons fundamentally
intact. Flush with billions of dollars in sanctions relief, the regime built up
its terrorist proxies, missile arsenals, and drones — ultimately forcing Trump
to confront it with both military action and sustained economic pressure.
U.S. and Israeli strikes in 2025 and 2026 set back Iran’s nuclear program
dramatically, extending its estimated breakout time to build a crude nuclear
device from roughly six months to as much as two-and-a-half years, absent
foreign assistance. Trump’s naval blockade has inflicted serious damage, costing
the regime an estimated $435 million per day, while gas shortages loom and the
regime is short of funds to pay its military.
However, any agreement with Tehran — predicated on unfreezing assets in return
for Iranian concessions — remains a deal with the devil. The Islamic Republic
would almost certainly use these funds to rearm for future conflicts against the
United States, Israel, and the Persian Gulf nations, while intensifying its
oppression of the Iranian people.
For these reasons, any credible agreement and easing of current leverage must
rest on the strictest nuclear terms. It must be subject to full and continuous
supervision and verification by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA),
be implemented while Trump is in office, and include Iran’s binding commitment
to these six provisions:
1. Iran must support full recovery by the United States, the IAEA, or an
international team of all 9,000+ kilograms of enriched uranium hexafluoride
(UF6), including 440 kilograms of highly enriched uranium (HEU).
These stocks, enriched to levels between 2 and 60 percent purity, were monitored
by the IAEA up until the June 2025 strikes, giving the agency a strong
understanding of their locations and quantities. Overall, Iran has enough
material enriched to 60 percent for 11 nuclear weapons and could produce an
additional 11 using its stocks enriched between 5 and 20 percent. The 2 percent
to 5 percent enriched stock is also critical to recover, as Iran could use it to
produce higher-enriched material should the regime abandon its commitments.
The enriched uranium is currently entombed in metal canisters or inside the
enrichment process at the damaged Esfahan, Natanz, and Fordow sites struck by
U.S. forces. The stocks must be carefully extracted and removed under
international supervision, with heavy equipment (likely flown in) and skilled
excavation and hazmat teams.
Trump has long maintained that the United States must recover and take
possession of the material, but on May 25 he signaled openness to IAEA-supervised
destruction in Iran or at another acceptable location. Yet the IAEA lacks the
equipment and manpower to handle the recovery alone. Such details must be
settled under a final accord.
2. Iran must accept destruction of its enriched uranium stocks — or that access
and use is limited strictly to legitimate civilian technical needs.
What Iran may ultimately do with the enriched uranium remains at issue. While
destruction is the preferred option, the United States should only accept Iran
receiving nuclear material back in a form suitable for legitimate civilian use —
specifically, fabricated fuel rods for Iranian research and power reactors.
The Islamic Republic will likely claim it can downblend the uranium itself and
fabricate rods using a surviving facility at Natanz or elsewhere. Yet any
enriched material left on Iranian soil carries an unacceptable risk that the
regime could relocate it or rapidly enrich it to weapons-grade levels should
Tehran opt to renege on its commitments. The safest solution is supervised
destruction of the material inside Iran, paired with a U.S. or foreign
commitment to supply Tehran with commercially available fuel rods.
A less desirable option would be for the IAEA to take possession of the
material, store it at the agency’s low-enriched uranium fuel bank in Kazakhstan,
and arrange for small quantities to be fabricated into fuel rods in a third
country before return to Iran. Russia is the most likely candidate for
fabricating fuel rods, given its existing role supplying Iran’s Bushehr nuclear
power reactor with low-enriched uranium rods and previous supplies of 20-percent
enriched uranium rods to the Tehran Research Reactor. This approach would also
prevent Moscow from returning Iran’s full stock in the event of implementation
disputes.
3. Iran must accept a permanent ban on uranium enrichment and plutonium
reprocessing.
Iran has no legitimate need for these processes, which it pursued primarily to
provide direct pathways to nuclear weapons fuel. Moreover, enriching uranium
even to low levels — such as 5 percent purity — represents around 70 percent of
the effort to make weapons-grade uranium. A permanent ban is therefore the only
reliable way to meaningfully reduce Tehran’s ability to build nuclear weapons.
Iran has argued that it must be allowed to enrich uranium for civilian use after
a temporary moratorium. A far less desirable but possible alternative would be a
firm 20-year commitment not to enrich, paired with verified destruction of all
related capabilities and facilities. Such a lengthy ban would make
reconstitution far more difficult as institutional knowledge degrades — but only
if the next three conditions (see below) are strictly enforced.
4. Iran must accept full and permanent dismantlement, export, or in-place
destruction of its uranium production and enrichment infrastructure, including
all related facilities, centrifuges, components, and centrifuge manufacturing
capabilities, and plutonium production and separation assets. A strict standard
of dismantlement should apply to any remaining Iranian uranium production and
enrichment and plutonium production and separation assets. The sole exception
would be non-proliferation-sensitive reactors that produce plutonium unsuitable
for nuclear weapons.
While U.S. and Israeli strikes damaged or destroyed much of this infrastructure,
Iran may have hidden capabilities. Robust IAEA inspections will be essential to
locate and fully account for centrifuges, components, manufacturing equipment,
and related items. In particular, Iran must not be permitted to retain advanced
centrifuges, such as the fast IR-6 model, as even a few hundred could enable a
rapid breakout.
There is also a need for verified dismantlement of hardened underground sites,
such as the Esfahan tunnel enrichment facility (currently inaccessible due to
strikes) and the Pickaxe Mountain complex, which was not targeted but where
suspicious construction has continued. Pickaxe Mountain may contain a deeply
buried enrichment plant beyond the reach of conventional airstrikes — an
activity Trump specifically cited as justification for new U.S. strikes.
Iran must not be allowed to leave such sites idle yet fully intact, with
infrastructure ready for rapid reactivation.Since uranium enrichment has been
Iran’s preferred route to nuclear weapons fuel for over two decades, severe
dismantlement measures would create major obstacles to any future
reconstitution.
5. Iran must make a complete, accurate, and comprehensive declaration of its
entire nuclear program — including all past nuclear weapons-related work, sites,
activities, and assets — and agree to a verified termination of any
weaponization efforts, and an IAEA mandate to assess the correctness and
completeness of the declaration
Until 2003, Iran pursued a nuclear weapons program known as the Amad Plan,
complete with dedicated sites, equipment, personnel, and documentation. Under
international pressure, the regime scaled back the program but preserved
activities at both military sites and civilian facilities to maintain future
weaponization readiness. Iran has never fully disclosed these efforts to the
IAEA. A resurgence of weaponization-related work beginning in 2024 contributed
to the subsequent military response by the United States and Israel.
Iran must provide the IAEA with a full disclosure of its past and possibly
ongoing work on nuclear weapons and permit the agency to verify the complete
absence of military nuclear activities. In addition, Tehran has never furnished
a comprehensive and accurate declaration of all its nuclear sites, assets, and
activities. It must do so to enable the IAEA to fully understand the program,
verify implementation of any agreement, and detect potential violations. Any
deal must include a clear IAEA mandate to determine the correctness and
completeness of Iran’s declarations.
6. Iran must restore IAEA access and permit “anywhere, anytime” IAEA inspections
— including at military sites when required — along with full access to
equipment, personnel, and documentation.
Iran must fully restore IAEA access to its nuclear sites, which was restricted
after the June 2025 strikes. Under any new agreement, the IAEA must be granted
prompt, anywhere, anytime access to any site it deems necessary to inspect,
including military facilities. The agency must also have unfettered access to
interview nuclear scientists and personnel, review documentation, and examine
equipment used in nuclear weapons-related work. In addition, Iran must ratify
the IAEA Additional Protocol for more intrusive inspections and information
provision to the IAEA and fully implement Modified Code 3.1 of its IAEA
safeguards agreement — both of which it has long resisted. The latter requires
immediate notification to the IAEA of any new nuclear facilities and their
technical details.
Conclusion
Many of the above measures are likely to be unacceptable to Iran, as they
require termination of key activities and large-scale destruction of sensitive
assets. They also raise the practical question of who will verify and execute
their elimination. Yet these essential terms — plus other important disarmament
provisions not detailed here — represent the foundations of a sound deal. These
are terms any state should accept if it has verifiably abandoned the pursuit of
nuclear weapons and seeks sanctions relief and a permanent end to military
conflict.
Diplomacy is worth pursuing to achieve a peaceful resolution, reopen the Strait
of Hormuz, and avoid surging energy prices — but only if it verifiably and
permanently constrains the regime’s nuclear weapons capabilities. Otherwise,
diplomacy becomes a process that masks the Islamic Republic’s preservation of
its pathway to nuclear weapons.
Anything short of the conditions laid out here is not worth unfreezing Iranian
assets, lifting the blockade, or ending the conflict. In such circumstances, it
would be better for the United States to maintain economic pressure, forcibly
open the Strait, and support the Iranian people in bringing down the regime.
**Andrea Stricker is a research fellow and deputy director of the
Nonproliferation Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD). For
more analysis from the author and FDD, please subscribe HERE. Follow Andrea on X
@StrickerNonpro. Follow FDD on X @FDD. FDD is a Washington, DC-based,
nonpartisan research institute focused on national security and foreign policy.
Iran Thinks It Can Still Pull Off One Last Trick...Trump
Has Iran on the ropes. Now he must resist the bad deal.
Mark Dubowitz/The Daily Wire/June 01/2026
After two years of devastating American and Israeli strikes against Iran’s
nuclear sites, missile infrastructure, air defenses, terror proxies, and regime
leadership, President Donald Trump holds more leverage over the Islamic Republic
than any U.S. president since the Islamists took power in 1979.
The question is whether he uses it — or trades it away.
Talk of a deal is again at fever pitch. Trump is reportedly mulling a memorandum
of understanding that would extend the ceasefire by 60 days, lift the U.S. naval
blockade of Iran’s ports, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and launch formal nuclear
talks.
The guns, however, are not yet silent. On Wednesday night, U.S. forces shot down
four Iranian drones and struck a ground control station to preempt attacks on
American troops and commercial shipping in the Strait. Tehran answered with a
ballistic missile aimed at Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, intercepted by
Kuwaiti air defenses. The infrastructure to resume the war Trump began in
February remains in place — and no deal is better than a bad one.
The Iranians have mastered the art of negotiating with Washington. They
outplayed Obama. They outplayed Biden. Each time, they preserved their nuclear
pathway and pocketed billions in sanctions relief. Even now, at the regime’s
weakest moment since the revolution, the mullahs retain enriched nuclear
material, terror proxies, residual missile capability, and a chokehold on the
global oil economy. They are losing the war.
But they believe they can still win the peace — meaning regime survival and a
runway to rebuild.
Three issues will decide whether talks succeed or hand Tehran a lifeline.
First, Hormuz. The regime has been running a maritime extortion racket, charging
tankers up to $2 million for “safe passage.” Any deal must end the toll, clear
every Iranian mine, and forbid attacks on commercial or U.S. Navy vessels. The
American blockade should come off only in phases tied to verified compliance,
not all at once. If Tehran cheats, Trump must be ready to relaunch Project
Freedom — the tanker-escort operation aborted earlier this year when Riyadh
withheld overflight rights. The Saudis should be told, plainly, that this time
they have no choice but to grant them — or we won’t defend them.
Second, the nuclear file. Iranian assurances that they “do not seek a bomb” are
worthless. Only actions count. That means surrendering every kilogram of
enriched uranium — not just the 970 pounds of 60-percent material entombed in
the tunnels of Isfahan and Fordow, but the thousands of additional pounds
enriched between two and 20%, much of it three-quarters or more of the way to
weapons grade.
It means a permanent ban on enrichment and plutonium reprocessing. It means
dismantling Pickaxe Mountain, the underground site Iran intends as an enrichment
and centrifuge plant impervious even to the massive ordnance penetrators that
destroyed the Fordow nuclear facility during Operation Midnight Hammer last
June. And it means hard limits on rebuilding the missile force that threatens
Israel, the Gulf, and Europe, U.S. forces across the region, and the American
homeland if they rebuild their destroyed ICBM program.
Third, sanctions relief and access to frozen funds. Trump has said Iran will
receive no cash and no sanctions relief up front. Good. But the principle of “no
dust, no dollars” must be airtight. The war has cost Tehran between $150 and
$300 billion. Will the regime now be permitted to unload the $15 billion in oil
sitting in blockaded tankers? Tap the billions frozen in Qatar, Oman, and Iraq?
Hand the mullahs any of that money before they verifiably dismantle their
nuclear program, and the leverage Trump built with American air power vanishes
overnight.
Iran still controls enriched uranium sufficient for at least 10 nuclear weapons.
It can still convulse oil markets by squeezing Hormuz. And the Iranians read
American politics. They see November’s midterms. They know how to drag
negotiations into a season when they believe a wounded president would have less
appetite for confrontation. Stalling is their best weapon.
Here is the bad deal Trump must refuse: a freeze instead of dismantlement,
sanctions relief for promises, frozen funds released for goodwill, the nuclear
program left dormant rather than eliminated. It is the deal the regime is built
to extract — and the deal that hands the Iran problem, yet graver and closer to
a bomb, to Trump’s successor, who may not have the spine to finish what Trump
started.
The six-week military campaign is incomplete. The administration declined
Israeli proposals to hit Iran’s energy infrastructure and to decapitate dozens
more regime leaders, including Iran’s current supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei.
If Tehran refuses real terms, the military and economic warfare campaign can be
resumed. The leverage is there. The forces are in position — and President Trump
can arm, support, and help unleash millions of Iranians to retake their streets
and their country. The only question is whether the president who built this
position has the will to use it. It is a good bet that he will.
**Mark Dubowitz is chief executive of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies
and the presenter of “The Iran Breakdown” podcast.
Prime Minister of Israel
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: "Together with the Minister of
Defense, I have instructed the IDF to strike terrorist targets in Beirut. There
will not be a situation in which Hezbollah attacks our cities and our citizens,
and its terrorist headquarters in Beirut, in Dahiyeh, remains out of bounds. We
are continuing to deepen our operational activity on the ground in southern
Lebanon and are eliminating Hezbollah strongholds. Hezbollah is on the run. We
are determined to restore security to the residents of the north, just as we did
for the residents of the south."
Prime Minister of Israel
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu:
"Together with the Minister of Defense, I have instructed the IDF to strike
terrorist targets in Beirut. There will be no situation in which Hezbollah
attacks our cities and our citizens, and its terrorist headquarters in Beirut,
in Dahiyeh, remain out of reach. We continue to intensify our operations on the
ground in southern Lebanon, eliminating Hezbollah strongholds. Hezbollah is in
flight. We are determined to restore security to the residents of the north,
just as we did for the residents of the south."
Gad Saad
I’m from Lebanon, Chachi. My ancestors have been in the area for
only 4,000 years prior to Islam. I’m proud of my Arabic-speaking heritage. I’m
with my family now. We are speaking in Arabic, Sugar.
Sara Assaf
Hezbollah is doing everything for Israel to attack Beirut again. Why?
- Because it endangers the negotiations path and makes it even harder.
- Because it puts pressure on the Int’l community to react. Bombing Beirut the
capital has its symbolism.
- Because it involves hurting other communities, not just Hezb community.
- Because it feeds into Hezb argument that Israel is attacking all Lebanon, not
just Hezb regions.
- Because it diverts the public focus away from Israeli invasion and Hezb losses
in the South.
Bechara Gerges
Tomorrow, Israeli and Lebanese delegations sit for a fourth round in Washington.
The American proposal is narrow and clear in its logic: Hezbollah halts its
fire, Israel halts its escalation over Beirut. So when rockets flew toward Haifa
this weekend and Israel’s army reached its deepest point in Lebanon since 2000,
it was not Lebanon that put the capital back under threat. It was the one actor
that insists on holding the trigger while keeping its seat at the Cabinet table.
That is the contradiction Makhzoumi names, and it is the right one. You cannot
bind yourself to the state’s decisions by morning and override them with a
private arsenal by night. A party that reserves war and peace for Tehran’s
calendar is not a partner in government, it is a veto wearing a minister’s
title. Here is what should frighten Hezbollah: the alignment is now total. What
the Lebanese people demand, one army, one decision, a capital that is not
collateral, is exactly what Washington is offering to underwrite, and exactly
what Beirut’s negotiators carry into the room tomorrow. The only actor outside
that consensus is the one whose weapons keep summoning the strikes. Dismiss the
ministers who deny the state, or keep explaining to a displaced country why its
capital pays Iran’s bills.
Quote
Fouad Makhzoumi
After southern Lebanon has been occupied and devastated, Beirut and its suburbs
are once again under threat.
We have long called for Beirut to be a safe city, free of any weapons outside
the authority of the state, and for the Lebanese Army to deploy throughout the
capital and
Eli Khoury
·Extreme vs Mainstream
Apparently, saying mainstream things with unfiltered honesty now qualifies as
extremism.
What some call “extreme” is often just mainstream reality stripped of
euphemisms, buzzwords, and the mandatory apology paragraph.