An Iranian minister has told the BBC that Israeli strikes in Lebanon on Wednesday constituted a grave violation of the US-Iran ceasefire agreement.
Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh said Lebanon was covered by the two-week deal agreed on Tuesday - something the US and Israel dispute - and said the US must choose between war and ceasefire.
The Lebanese health ministry has said at least 203 people were killed on Wednesday in air strikes on what Israel called Hezbollah command centres and military sites.
Pressed on whether Tehran would likewise ask Hezbollah to stop firing rockets towards Israel, Khatibzadeh claimed the Iranian-backed militant group had abided by the ceasefire.
Hezbollah said on Thursday that it had fired at Israel overnight in response to what it called ceasefire violations. It has also threatened to keep up its attacks until Israeli-American aggression against Lebanon comes to an end.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Khatibzadeh said Tehran had sent a crystal clear message to the White House late on Wednesday which could be summarised as you cannot have cake and eat it at the same time.
He added, You cannot ask for a ceasefire and then accept terms and conditions... then your ally just starts a massacre. Regarding Iran's backing for Hezbollah, Khatibzadeh called the group a Lebanese freedom movement that receives support from Iran.
He asserted that the ceasefire deal required all parties, including Hezbollah, to comply and denounced any aggression from Israel as undermining that agreement.
Furthermore, Khatibzadeh discussed the Strait of Hormuz, mentioning that Iran would provide security for ships wanting to pass through if US-backed aggression ceased. Despite claims that the strait was open, Iranian media reported it had remained closed due to the ongoing Israeli attacks.
As the situation continues to escalate, both sides remained firm in their positions, leading to increasing concerns about long-term implications for the region.
