Lebanon Watches Anxiously as Iran-U.S. Memorandum of Understanding Raises Questions Over Israeli Withdrawal and Lebanese Sovereignty.

Politics Lebanon

Thursday, June 18, 2026

Lead:

The signing of a memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran has placed Lebanon at the center of a rapidly shifting regional equation. Diplomatic sources, Hezbollah leadership, and Lebanese political figures are all interpreting the agreement's implications differently — particularly regarding the prospect of an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon, the future of Lebanese-Israeli negotiations, and the question of who controls the country's security decisions. The stakes for Lebanese sovereignty and territorial integrity are immediate and acute.

Details:

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baqai confirmed that Tehran is studying the possibility of having the presidents of Iran and the United States sign the memorandum of understanding remotely, indicating that no final decision has been reached on the format. Separately, the Iranian Foreign Ministry stated that a ceasefire across all active fronts — explicitly including Lebanon — must be achieved before any new phase of negotiations can begin.

A diplomatic source cited by LBCI indicated that the phrase "guaranteeing Lebanese territorial unity and sovereignty," as included in the Iran-U.S. memorandum, carries concrete meaning: it implies the end of any Israeli occupation of Lebanese territory, the consolidation of arms under the authority of the Lebanese state, and the exclusive right of the Lebanese government to decide on war and peace. Former Lebanese Ambassador to Washington Riyad Tabbarah, speaking to Al-Diyar, expressed skepticism, stating he does not expect Israel to halt its aggressions against southern Lebanon even after the memorandum is formally concluded.

Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem declared that the United States had failed in what he characterized as a project to "colonize Iran," adding that Tehran's strength remains intact. Qassem separately emphasized that the primary demand in any negotiation must be the restoration of Lebanese sovereignty, and that Israel has no standing to dictate Lebanon's internal arrangements. Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya headquarters warned that Israel had violated the ceasefire in southern Lebanon 84 times in the two days following the ceasefire announcement, and threatened a severe response if violations continue.

According to Al-Akhbar, the Lebanese-Israeli negotiations scheduled to take place in Washington have been postponed, with LBCI reporting that the talks are now expected to begin on June 23 rather than June 22, and to run through June 25. Al-Markazia reported that Washington is actively working to prevent a breakdown in the Lebanese-Israeli negotiating track and is pressing for a comprehensive and stable ceasefire. Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri, receiving UNIFIL commander Major General Diosdado Abinara at Ain al-Tineh, reiterated that the continued presence of UNIFIL is essential until UN Resolution 1701 is fully implemented and Israeli forces have withdrawn.

Watch For:

Whether the Lebanon-related sovereignty language in the Iran-U.S. memorandum translates into concrete pressure on Israel to withdraw from occupied southern Lebanese territory before or during the June 23-25 Washington talks.

The durability of the ceasefire, given the reported 84 Israeli violations and Iran's explicit threat of retaliation, which could derail the negotiating track entirely.

Whether Washington moves to redistribute diplomatic responsibilities in Lebanon among its allies, potentially reducing France's traditional role, as diplomatic sources cited by Al-Diyar have suggested.

Lebanon Brief