On 15 April 2026, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, stated that the completion and consolidation of a comprehensive ceasefire in Lebanon would result from the steadfastness and struggle of Hezbollah and the unity of the Axis of Resistance, and that the United States must commit to the agreement.
He added that the Resistance and Iran are one and the same entity, whether in war or in a ceasefire.
The remarks were made amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to stabilize southern Lebanon following months of cross-border exchanges between Israeli forces and Hezbollah, which have displaced tens of thousands and damaged infrastructure in border villages.
International mediators, including France and Qatar, have been engaged in indirect talks to extend the terms of the November 2023 ceasefire understanding, which halted major hostilities but left key issues — including the withdrawal of Israeli forces from occupied Lebanese territory and the disarmament of non-state armed groups south of the Litani River — unresolved.
Hezbollah has maintained its position that any lasting agreement must include full Israeli withdrawal from the Shebaa Farms and adjacent hills, which Israel captured in 1967 and continues to administer, despite UN resolutions calling for their return to Lebanon.
The Israeli government has not publicly responded to Ghalibaf’s statement, though officials have previously insisted that any ceasefire must be accompanied by guarantees against the rearmament of Hezbollah and the prevention of future attacks from Lebanese territory.
The United States, which has provided military aid to Israel and supported its right to self-defense, has not issued an official response to the Iranian speaker’s demand that Washington commit to the agreement.
Lebanon’s caretaker government, led by Prime Minister Najib Mikati, has reiterated its commitment to UN Security Council Resolution 1701 as the framework for ending hostilities, though it lacks the authority to enforce compliance from non-state actors or foreign militaries.
UNIFIL, the peacekeeping mission operating in southern Lebanon, continues to monitor the Blue Line and report violations, though its mandate does not include disarming Hezbollah or securing the release of Israeli-held detainees.
No new negotiations have been publicly announced as of 16 April 2026, and no scheduled meeting between the involved parties has been confirmed by diplomatic sources.
