Channel 12: US did not allow Israel
to read the Iran Memorandum
June 16th, 2:28pm
(RT.ru)
The United States has denied Israel's request to review the
memorandum of understanding between Washington and
Tehran, according to Channel 12.
"Israel does not yet know all the details of the agreement,
which is expected to be signed in Switzerland this
Friday," the publication says.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump said that he was
displeased with Israel's actions in the situation
with Lebanon and the Hezbollah movement.
The US leader also described Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu as a very difficult guy who
should be grateful to Washington for
its efforts on Iran.
_________________________________________
Iran-US MoU ends imposed war
and inflicts humiliating defeat
on US-Israeli war machine
June 16th, 12:21pm
by Iqbal Jassat
The memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Islamic
Republic of Iran and the US marks a significant moment in the
short yet dynamic and challenging history of the country
since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
While a great deal of speculation about the details of the MoU
continues to exist, what remains clear is that the Trump
administration has conceded defeat.
Equally stark is the fact that, notwithstanding the military might
and power it possesses, the US failed in the most humiliating
way to subdue Iran and impose its will on the country.
Trump's frustration and woes were compounded by the fact that
none of the goals he set out to achieve - having been misled by
the settler colonial regime's notorious war criminal, Benjamin
Netanyahu – were realized. The joint US-Israel war of
aggression launched in late February failed to
collapse the Islamic Republic or bring
about “regime change.”
He realised, as did his right-wing war cabinet led by Zionist
radicals such as war secretary Pete Hegseth and
secretary of state Marco Rubio, that Iran is
not Venezuela.
The strategic calculus behind the February 28 decision appeared
unmistakable: replicate the “Venezuelan model,” decapitate the
leadership, and the Islamic Republic leadership’s behaviour
would change, if not collapse altogether. The gambit failed.
The reasons for that failure reveal the Islamic Republic’s
durability and ideological strength, and yet again, is
vindicated by Trump’s admission of defeat.
Given that Iran has remained steadfast in defence of the Axis
of Resistance, one would expect Arab regimes to display a
modicum of "independence" by resisting Israeli dictates.
The situation in Lebanon, for instance, and how its
government relates to Israel's bombing and
carnage is both revealing and shocking.
We learn from Amal Saad, a Lebanese scholar and author on
the Hezbollah resistance movement, that the ceasefire
agreement signed by Lebanese representatives with
Israel and the US belongs to a category of political
submission with little or no precedent.
“Lebanon, a state under attack, co-signs a document that
conditions a ceasefire not on the withdrawal of the
occupying power from its territory, but on the
withdrawal of its own citizens from their
land,” she wrote recently.
Any framework for negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, if
tilted in favour of Zionist expansionism and occupation, will
repeat a fundamental contradiction... that has long shaped
Lebanon’s security and political landscape: the Lebanese
state conducts diplomacy and negotiates agreements,
while Hezbollah remains the country’s principal
military actor in confronting the
Israeli occupation.
This disconnect continues to complicate efforts to reach
a durable settlement and raises questions about the
viability of any agreement that lacks the support
of both actors.
Viewed against the current US-Iran MOU, unless the Lebanese
government desists from accepting Israel’s one-sided
demands and instead insists on tying its fortune to
that of Hezbollah's, it will continue -- to be bullied
by Netanyahu and his criminal gang of warlords.
As for Iran's supremacy, an article in Israel Hayom headlined
"Complete Failure: Netanyahu’s strategy toward Iran has
collapsed," highlighted that "Israel's strategic position"
in its war against Iran has deteriorated dramatically.
The article emphasized that the new strategic reality will make
it "far more difficult for Israel" to confront the so-called
"Iranian threat" in the years ahead, explaining -- that
the root of this "failure" lies in the "arrogance and
miscalculations" that prevailed within "Israel's"
ruling establishment.
Israel Hayom said Iran has demonstrated a willingness
to take significant risks --- to impose new rules of
engagement, including -- preventing "Israel"
from carrying out aggression on Beirut
It described the emerging strategic landscape as
"increasingly complex," adding that it presents
"Israel" with greater "challenges", especially
given its dependence on the United States.
The Israeli outlet said that a return to a US agreement
with Iran, even if it addresses the nuclear issue, will
underscore "Israel’s strategic limitations."
Israel Hayom further said.. that the recent military
aggression has been an "outright failure," adding
that -- they neither succeeded in "deterring" Iran
nor shifted the "balance of power," and instead
left "Israel" in a weaker strategic position.
Iqbal Jassat is an executive member
of the Media Review Network,
Johannesburg, South Africa.
(The views expressed in this article
do not necessarily reflect those of
Press TV)
____________________________________
Iran now a 'regional superpower';
Lebanon govt. should abandon
illusions about U.S.: MP
June 16th, 11:19am
(PressTV)
A Lebanese lawmaker has lauded Iran as a "regional
superpower," citing the Islamic Republic's triumph
in the face of the latest unprovoked US-
Israeli aggression.
Iran achieved "a clear strategic victory" as a result of
the resilience and unity of its people around the
Islamic Republic's leadership, Hassan
Ezzeddine said on Tuesday.
This unity thwarted enemy objectives, including forcing
Iran to submit to US dominance.... overthrowing the
country's Islamic establishment, and eliminating
its missile capabilities, added the legislator,
who is a senior member of the Lebanese
resistance movement Hezbollah's
Loyalty to the Resistance
parliamentary bloc.
"As a result, Iran today has become a major regional
superpower and is shaping the future of the new
regional order alongside the countries and
peoples of the region."
The lawmaker advised that the Lebanese government
abandon its misconceptions that the United States
intends to help Lebanon or pressure the Israeli
regime to halt its attacks.
The government has to rather stand alongside the people,
he stated, noting that real pressure on the regime was
achieved through negotiations between Iran and the
US in Islamabad, Pakistan, which compelled Tel
Aviv to accept a ceasefire, despite continued
violations in some areas.
According to Ezzeddine, the resistance and the resilience
of the Lebanese people will ultimately force the regime
to withdraw from the occupied territories.
He also called on the government to revise its political
approach and its relationship with a large segment of
the population and to embrace internal national
understanding among the country's various
components - as a guarantor of security
and civil peace.
'Netanyahu biggest loser'
The lawmaker, meanwhile, described Israeli prime
minister Benjamin Netanyahu as "the biggest
loser" of the US-Israeli aggression.
Netanyahu and his allies had sought to reshape the
region according to their own vision, but now find
themselves facing major political and economic
challenges, he added.
"Today, Netanyahu sees himself in a major predicament
and is unable to free himself from the political and
economic crises and the glaring failure he
faces today."
'Trump's major failure'
Ezzeddine also said the US-Israeli aggression
resulted in "a major failure" for US President
Donald Trump.
Trump failed to achieve any of his objectives or fulfill any
of his promises, "especially regarding the Strait of
Hormuz - which was open before the war," he
noted, referring to Iran's closing the water-
way to enemies and their allies following
the launch of the aggression.
The Hezbollah lawmaker concluded by expressing
gratitude towards the Islamic Republic, praising
its support for Lebanon since the 1979
Islamic Revolution.
Since the Islamic Revolution, Iran "has remained
steadfast, especially in its principles, positions,
support, assistance, and sacrifices for
Lebanon and its people,"
he concluded.
________________________________________
Hezbollah fighters confront intruding
Israeli forces in southern Lebanon
June 16th, 9:54 am
(PressTV)
Fighters from the Lebanese Hezbollah resistance movement
have confronted an Israeli military convoy as it was
attempting to infiltrate into southern Lebanon
despite an Iran-US agreement that includes
a complete cessation of Israeli assaults
on Lebanon.
Hezbollah said in a statement on Monday - that its fighters,
employing rockets and drones - obstructed an Israeli unit
comprising an excavator and two Merkava tanks that
was moving forward near the town of Kfar Tebnit,
close to the southern city of Nabatieh.
In a subsequent statement - later in the day - Hezbollah said,
“The enemy army --- has reorganized its forces in the vicinity
of the crossing area by deploying an armoured contingent
consisting of five Merkava tanks and four vehicles.”
“The combatants of the Islamic Resistance have targeted
them with rocket barrages and artillery shells, and
clashes are continuing.”
It came after an Israeli drone - struck a vehicle in the same
region, killing its driver. The air raid marked the first fatal
strike since the announcement of the agreement.
Hebrew-language media outlets, meanwhile, reported “a
serious security incident” for Israeli soldiers positioned
in southern Lebanon.
The outlets added that Israeli rescue helicopters are
trying to transport the injured troopers to hospitals
in the northern part of the occupied territories.
There were no immediate reports about the number
of casualties that the Israeli army suffered as a
result of the incident.
Israeli media outlets also reported: that a soldier
fighting in southern Lebanon committed suicide
last night ---- due to mental distress from the
military offensives.
This comes --- as the Israeli military is witnessing a
continuous and alarming rise in soldier suicides,
a trend linked to widespread post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD) stemming from
Israel’s prolonged - and repeated -
aggressions on multiple fronts.
According to figures published by the Haaretz daily
newspaper, at least six active-duty soldiers and
three non-active reservists died by suicide in
April alone.
Earlier this year -- the newspaper recorded
22 soldier suicides in 2025, a 15-year high.
A new poll by Israel’s public broadcaster KAN shows
that a majority of Israeli settlers believe that the
Zionist regime has failed to secure victory in
any war ....since October 2023.
_________________________________
War will not end without Israel
halting Lebanon attacks,
occupation: Araghchi
June 16th, 9:51am
(PressTV)
Iranian Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, says any future Israeli
attacks on Lebanon or continued occupation of recently-seized
territories in the Arab country would constitute a violation of a
memorandum of understanding that is scheduled to be signed
between Iran and the US.
Speaking at a meeting with foreign diplomats based in Tehran on
Tuesday, Araghchi identified the most important provision of the
memorandum as the declaration of an immediate, permanent
end to the war across all fronts, including Lebanon.
He, therefore, stressed that the end of the aggression
against Lebanon --- forms an integral part of the MoU.
On February 28, the United States and the Israeli regime began
their latest round of unprovoked aggression against Iran. At
the same time, the regime intensified its attacks on
Lebanon - in violation of a standing ceasefire with
Beirut and a subsequent ceasefire arrangement.
The Islamic Republic has consistently maintained that any
ceasefire with Washington must apply to all of the fronts,
including Lebanon, saying - peace and stability in the
region cannot be achieved unless the arrangement
is implemented comprehensively.
During the US-Israeli aggression, which continued until
April 7, Iranian armed forces carried out retaliatory
operations against the aggressors' interests,
while also responding to Israeli violations
of its commitments in Lebanon.
On Sunday, the Iranian Foreign Ministry announced that the
memorandum of understanding had been finalized.. and is
scheduled to be formally signed in Switzerland on Friday.
"Because the war in Lebanon and the Zionist regime's
aggression against southern Lebanon --- became
connected to the war with Iran.. and the two
fronts became intertwined and dependent
on one another, the Islamic Republic
considered ---- ending the war in
Lebanon --- a requirement for
ending the war with Iran...
from the very start,"
Araghchi said.
The foreign minister also emphasized that the end of the war
also requires an end to the Israeli presence in the territories
that the regime has occupied since escalating its
aggression against Lebanon.
"The end of the war includes the end of occupation. Without
the withdrawal of Israeli forces from territories they
occupied during this war, the war will not have
been fully brought to an end," he said.
The official also outlined Tehran's
interpretation of the parties to
the memorandum.
"The important point I want to emphasize here is that, in our
view, the two sides to this memorandum are the United
States and Israel on one side, and Iran and Hezbollah
on the other," he said, reiterating, "The end of the
war in Lebanon is an inseparable part of the
complete end of the war."
The foreign minister, meanwhile, noted that the war was
declared over on Monday morning, Tehran time.. after
finalization of the MoU, although the memorandum
will officially enter into force on Friday .....upon
the signing stage taking place.
Araghchi also announced that a new round of negotiations
between Iran and the United States aimed at reaching a
final agreement is expected to begin on Friday, after
the formal signing process.
"Most likely on Friday --- at a location that will be announced
later, the memorandum will be formally signed, and on the
same day, a new round of negotiations between Iran and
the US to reach a final agreement will begin," he said.
Nuclear issues, sanctions to be
addressed... in final agreement
The foreign minister said Tehran and Washington decided to
divide the negotiations into two phases.... because of the
difficulties stemming from the unprovoked aggression.
He said the first phase focused on ending the war, the Strait
of Hormuz, the US's illegal naval blockade of Iran's ports
and vessels, the release of Iranian frozen assets,
reconstruction issues, and related matters,
resulting in the MoU.
According to the official, upon the signing of the memorandum,
negotiations will continue for 60 days ...in an effort to reach a
comprehensive agreement.
"In the final agreement, decisions will be made regarding
nuclear issues and the lifting of sanctions, and we will
reach a final conclusion," he said.
Araghchi also thanked Pakistan for its constructive role
in mediation.... between Tehran and Washington.