Ending the War in Lebanon is as Important as Ending the War in Iran

JAKARTA - The Speaker of the Iranian Parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Wednesday, ending the war in Lebanon is as important for Tehran as ending the war in Iran, according to the ISNA news agency.

Speaking at the 20th Session of the Conference of the Union of Parliaments of the OIC Member States (PUIC) in Baku, Azerbaijan, Ghalibaf said "the ceasefire and ending the war in Lebanon are as important for us as the ceasefire and ending the war in Iran."

"The Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding turned into a declaration of American defeat," he said, launching Anadolu (24/6).

He explained that Iran sees the future of the region "not in confrontation, but in interaction; not in import security, but in local and shared security."

"No country in the region will find its security in the insecurity of another country," Ghalibaf said, adding that economic development and prosperity must benefit all people in the region.

Furthermore, Ghalibaf said Iran is ready to expand cooperation with all Islamic countries based on mutual respect, non-interference in internal affairs, good neighborly relations, and common interests.

He also expressed support for regional integration initiatives, saying Iran "fully supports any practical initiative to establish collective economic, trade, financial, scientific, and security mechanisms."

"Iran is ready for a security agreement with Islamic countries, especially those bordering the Persian Gulf," Ghalibaf said.

The four-day conference, which began Monday, has brought together more than 400 delegates from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member countries.

Ghalibaf's statement came as Iran continued negotiations with the US within the framework of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, which includes provisions related to the cessation of military operations throughout the region, including Lebanon.

The memorandum, which was signed electronically by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and US President Donald Trump, came into force on June 18.

The first article states that Iran, the US, and their respective allies are committed to immediately and permanently halting military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon.

Israeli attacks in Lebanon have killed more than 4,100 people and wounded more than 12,000 others since March 2, according to Lebanese official figures.

Israel continues to occupy territory in southern Lebanon, some of which has been occupied for decades and others seized during the 2023-2024 war.