Washington: US President Donald Trump has warned Iran to immediately restrain its allied groups in Lebanon, threatening fresh military action against Tehran even as American and Iranian negotiators continue diplomatic talks aimed at easing tensions in the Middle East.
In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump issued one of his strongest warnings since the latest round of negotiations between Washington and Tehran began.
“Iran must immediately stop their highly paid PROXIES in Lebanon from causing trouble. If they don’t, we’ll hit Iran very hard again, just like we did last week, only harder!!!” Trump wrote.
Warning comes amid ongoing negotiations
The warning comes at a sensitive stage in the diplomatic process.
Officials from the United States and Iran are currently holding talks in Switzerland under a memorandum of understanding signed earlier this month that laid out a framework for broader discussions on regional security, the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s nuclear programme and ceasefires across the Middle East.
The agreement envisages a 60-day period of negotiations aimed at reducing tensions and working towards a more durable settlement.
US claims progress on Lebanon ceasefire
Speaking after the talks in Switzerland, US Vice President JD Vance said the Trump administration had made progress in preserving the ceasefire in Lebanon.
“We’ve seen great progress over the last couple of days in ensuring ceasefire in Lebanon holds,” Vance said, while acknowledging that such ceasefires are often fragile.
He added that Trump remains committed to achieving a broader regional truce and views stability in Lebanon as an important step towards a wider settlement.
Vance also said the negotiations presented an opportunity to “turn over a new leaf” with Iran if Tehran abandoned policies that Washington considers destabilising.
Iran sets conditions for further talks
Iran, however, has maintained that it will not move ahead with the next phase of negotiations unless several conditions are met.
According to Iranian officials, substantive talks, particularly those related to the country’s nuclear programme, cannot proceed unless Israeli military actions in Lebanon come to an end.
Tehran has also demanded the delivery of economic benefits promised under recent understandings with Washington and its partners.
Iran has accused the United States of failing to stop hostilities in Lebanon, where Israel and the Iran-backed group Hezbollah have been exchanging attacks since March.
Strait of Hormuz remains a major concern
The negotiations have also been complicated by Iran’s decision to reimpose its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical oil shipping routes.
The move came despite the memorandum of understanding that had envisaged reopening the waterway and reducing tensions across the region.
Iran has linked its future cooperation to progress on Lebanon and the fulfilment of economic commitments made by the United States and its partners.
Trump’s latest warning highlights the fragile nature of the ongoing diplomatic process and underscores the challenges facing efforts to secure lasting peace and stability in the Middle East.