France and the UK urge extension of US-Iran ceasefire to Lebanon

Israel launched deadly airstrikes on areas controlled by Hezbollah in Lebanon, citing that the U.S.-Iran ceasefire agreement dated April 7 does not cover Lebanon. This action followed Hezbollah’s support for Iran’s attack on Israel on March 2. France and the UK are calling on the U.S. and Iran to include Lebanon in the ceasefire agreement.

French President Emmanuel Macron has emphasized to U.S. President Trump and Iranian President Pezeshkian the necessity of expanding the ceasefire agreement reached between the two countries to include Lebanon. He described this as a "necessary condition" for making the agreement "credible and sustainable."

French Foreign Minister Bachellet said Thursday on France Inter National Radio that Israel’s air strikes on Lebanon were "unacceptable." "We strongly condemn these massive airstrikes, which caused over 250 deaths within ten minutes, bringing the total number of fatalities since Hezbollah’s conflict with Israel began on March 2 to 1,500," he added. He further stated, "These attacks are particularly intolerable because they undermine the temporary ceasefire agreement reached yesterday between the United States and Iran."

UK Foreign Secretary Cooper expressed on Thursday her country's "strong" desire for the ceasefire between Washington and Tehran to be "extended" to Lebanon. She voiced "deep concern" over Israel’s lethal airstrikes on Lebanon on Wednesday.

Speaking earlier Thursday on Sky News, Cooper said, "I am deeply concerned about the escalation of attacks by Israel against Lebanon yesterday. We have witnessed the humanitarian consequences of these actions, especially the large-scale displacement of people within Lebanon."

U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, responsible for negotiations, took a firm stance. He stated, "If Iran chooses to risk breaking off talks due to the conflict in Lebanon—despite the fact that this conflict is unrelated to them, and the U.S. has never indicated Lebanon falls within the ceasefire scope, while Iran itself is suffering heavily in Lebanon—that is their choice."

Source: rfi

Original: toutiao.com/article/1862008032860297/

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