Iranian military on Monday announced that the country will cease attacking Israel after having given a “painful response” to Israeli attacks on Lebanon.
The military announced on national radio Monday that Iran would cease attacks on Israel after overnight exchanges marked the most serious escalation since the April ceasefire in the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.
Iran launched missiles at Israel on Sunday evening in what it described as a response to Israeli strikes on the Lebanese capital Beirut, prompting Israel to attack targets across Iran early on Monday while Iranian strikes on Israel continued.
The flare-up in fighting marked a serious blow to efforts by U.S. President Donald Trump to end the war.
Trump on Monday urged both sides to “immediately stop ‘shooting’,” after reportedly having implored Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to retaliate following the Iranian strikes.
Also Read: Iran vows retaliation after new Beirut strikes
Just hours later, the Iranian military leadership announced a surprise end to the operations.
The Islamic Republic has delivered a “painful response” to Israel in support of Lebanon, according to the statement. “Against this backdrop, the suspension of the armed forces’ operations is hereby announced,” it said.
Earlier, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei, said on that Tehran was exchanging messages with Washington in an atmosphere of “extreme suspicion”.
He said Israel’s actions in Lebanon, whether carried out with U.S. knowledge and consent or not, were aimed at sabotaging diplomacy.
Baghaei added that Washington, as a party to the April 8 ceasefire, bore direct responsibility for any violations, including attacks attributed to Israel.
He said that the world should be concerned about a broader regional conflict.
“The United States bears direct responsibility for any action the Zionist regime Israel takes in relation to violating regional peace and security against Iran,” he said.
Baghaei noted that the visit of Pakistan’s interior minister to Tehran on Sunday was part of efforts to continue indirect exchanges with Washington.
“Separately, Iran will respond to any resolution against it at this week’s meeting of the U.N. nuclear watchdog’s Board of Governors,” he said.
He accused International Atomic Energy Agency Chief, Rafael Grossi of disregarding the realities of the conflict and holding biased political views that harmed the agency’s legitimacy.
NAN
