Iran Conditions US Deal on Israeli Withdrawal from Lebanon
Tehran demands complete Israeli pullout as red line, while US deconfliction channel with IRGC emerges in Doha.
Iran Conditions US Deal on Israeli Withdrawal from Lebanon — An Iranian source close to the negotiating team told state television that a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon is a mandatory condition for any final agreement between Iran and the US, calling it a 'red line'.[^1] The demand, echoed by Quds force commander Esmail Qaani on Thursday, sets a high bar for diplomacy: Israel has categorically rejected such terms.[^1] Cursor embeds this demand in a broader context of Israeli opposition and reduced strikes, while Vesti reports it as a straightforward Iranian statement without counterpoint.[^1] Meanwhile, US Vice President JD Vance revealed that the deconfliction channel between Washington and Tehran includes representatives from the IRGC and CENTCOM stationed in Doha, describing an IRGC representative 'hanging out' with a CENTCOM counterpart to settle disputes. This arrangement, confirmed by Vance in an interview with UnHerd, underscores the operational reality of backchannel talks even as public rhetoric hardens. Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi congratulated Iran on a 'great victory' against the US and Israel, signaling that the axis of resistance sees the deal as a win. Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi blamed Italy and Romania for allowing the US to use their air bases in attacks on Iran, a claim Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto rebutted by stating only non-kinetic activities were authorized. The dispute highlights the fragility of European cooperation in any US-Iran framework. As Gulf states weigh their next steps amid Rubio's visit to Bahrain, Kuwait, and the UAE, the question remains: can the US sustain both a deconfliction channel with Iran and a security commitment to its Gulf allies? IDF Deepens Lebanon Operations Amid Mixed Signals on Withdrawal — Staff Sergeant (res.) Bassel Sweid, a 32-year-old Druze from Peki'in, was killed today when a military fuel truck overturned in southern Lebanon.[^1] His uncle described him as someone who 'didn't wait to be called' – he enlisted after the Majdal Shams disaster and reported for reserve duty immediately after October 7.[^1] Sweid is the 450th fallen member of the