TEHRAN — Iran accused the United States on Wednesday of violating the framework of a recently announced ceasefire by allowing Israeli attacks to continue in Lebanon, Iranian officials said.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the U.S. had breached three clauses of a proposed deal framework, including provisions related to ending hostilities in Lebanon. He posted on X that the ceasefire terms required the U.S. to choose between upholding the truce or permitting continued conflict through Israel. "The Iran–U.S. Ceasefire terms are clear and explicit: the U.S. must choose -- ceasefire or continued war via Israel. It cannot have both," Araghchi wrote.
The accusations followed Israeli airstrikes on Wednesday that targeted multiple sites in Lebanon, including areas in Beirut, in operations against the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group. Lebanon's health ministry reported dozens of deaths from the strikes, according to multiple news outlets. Details on the exact number of casualties remained unclear as reporting continued.
The dispute centers on the scope of a two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran, announced by U.S. President Donald Trump on April 7, 2026, and mediated in part by Pakistan. Iran and Pakistani officials have stated that the agreement includes a cessation of hostilities in Lebanon. The U.S. and Israeli governments have maintained that the truce does not extend to Israel's campaign against Hezbollah.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf called the ceasefire "unreasonable" and described the Israeli actions as a "grave violation." He warned that such violations would carry "explicit costs and strong responses," according to statements carried by Iranian media and reported internationally.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Israel welcomed the U.S.-Iran ceasefire but stressed it did not cover Lebanon. Netanyahu stated that operations against Hezbollah would continue until security was restored for northern Israel. U.S. officials echoed that position, with the White House asserting the deal focused on direct hostilities between Washington and Tehran.
The tensions emerged less than two days after the ceasefire announcement, which aimed to pause more than a month of broader regional conflict involving Iran, the U.S., Israel and allied groups. Iran responded to the Lebanese strikes by temporarily restricting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, prompting U.S. demands to reopen the waterway. Iranian authorities later indicated the restrictions had been eased, though shipping volumes remained low.
Hezbollah stated that it viewed the ceasefire as encompassing Lebanon and reserved the right to respond if attacks continued.
As of Thursday, the ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran appeared to be holding in terms of direct exchanges, with fewer reported attacks between those parties. However, the situation in Lebanon remained active, and diplomats from several countries urged all sides to exercise restraint to preserve the fragile truce ahead of planned negotiations.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said his country's forces remained prepared to respond if necessary. No immediate further escalation was reported on Thursday.
The developments underscored ongoing disagreements over the ceasefire's terms, even as both Washington and Tehran had initially claimed progress toward de-escalation.
