‘Let’s not blow it’: Trump calls out Israeli attacks on Beirut as Iran peace deal nears
“This morning’s attack on Beirut should not have happened, particularly on a special day when we are so close to a Peace Deal with Iran. Israel has the right to defend itself against threats, but the attack it was responding to was very small and meaningless, nobody was hurt, injured, or killed, and should not disrupt this important process,” he said in a post on Truth Social.
Also read: Peace on edge: Iran threatens payback as Beirut strike tests Trump’s deal
He added that Washington and Tehran are we are very close to a ceasefire deal that “will bring peace to the region, including to Lebanon, and all sides should stand down”.
He called for a halt in military attacks saying, “There should be no more attacks by Israel anywhere in Lebanon, but there should also be no more attacks by any other party, including Hezbollah, against Israel. This could be the beginning of a long and beautiful peace — Let’s not blow it!” he added.
Trump’s remarks follow Israeli military strikes on Hezbollah targets in Beirut on Sunday that further complicated efforts to finalise a deal to end the war. Reports sugegsted that smoke was seen rising over the Lebanese capital, and the Civil Defense said it retrieved three bodies and six wounded people from the rubble.
Mediators push Iran and the US closer to a deal
Iran’s chief negotiator and parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned Washington on X after Israel’s strikes that “if you lack the will and ability to fulfill your commitments, speaking of continuing the path is not possible.”“Without a doubt, these crimes will not go unanswered,” said Gen. Mohammad Jafar Asadi, deputy commander of Iran’s Joint Command Headquarters, the official Mizan news agency reported.
Earlier on Saturday, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that the deal would be signed Sunday, while Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said it could happen in the coming days. Trump had said earlier that the Strait of Hormuz would open immediately after the signing.
The deal is expected to be signed electronically, without an in-person ceremony, though it remains unclear when or how the signing will take place.
