President Donald Trump issued a warning to Iran on Sunday, stating that the country must stop its proxies from causing disturbances in Lebanon or risk being targeted by the United States. Trump made these comments in a post on Truth Social, emphasizing that Iran must immediately cease the actions of its proxies in Lebanon. He indicated that failure to do so would result in the U.S. responding more forcefully than in previous actions taken against Iran.
These remarks come as Vice President JD Vance engages in talks with Iranian officials in Switzerland, mediated by Pakistan and Qatar. Trump has previously stated that if these negotiations do not succeed, Vance will be held accountable.
A 60-day ceasefire agreement currently exists between Iran and the U.S., allowing for negotiations towards a long-term peace deal, which also pertains to Lebanon. This region has faced Israeli military operations targeting Hezbollah, a group supported by Iran, which Israel claims poses a threat to its civilians.
In Switzerland, Vance remarked that the U.S. has made significant efforts to mitigate the conflict in Lebanon, although he did not specifically address ongoing Israeli operations. He underscored the U.S. commitment to achieving regional peace.
The U.S. and Iranian officials are expected to discuss the Israel-Hezbollah conflict during the talks, although Israeli representatives are not participating. Trump's reference to “last week” pertains to recent U.S. strikes on Iran following its refusal to agree to a nuclear deal, which he claimed was an attempt by Iran to manipulate the U.S. into negotiations.