Iran says Beirut strike would reignite war as Trump eyes weekend breakthrough

Iran has warned that any Israeli attack on Beirut would have "grave consequences" and could trigger a full resumption of war, even as diplomatic contacts between Tehran and Washington continue and US President Donald Trump expressed optimism about ongoing negotiations with Iran.

In remarks carried by Iran's Tasnim news agency, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran had made clear that it would not remain silent in the face of an attack on the Lebanese capital. Speaking to Lebanon's Al Mayadeen television channel, Araghchi said Iran had adopted a decisive position when Israel threatened to strike Beirut's southern suburbs and had placed its armed forces on full alert for a potential counterattack.

The comments come after Trump said he had secured commitments from both Israel and Hezbollah to halt hostilities, portraying the move as a diplomatic breakthrough that helped prevent a wider Israeli offensive in Lebanon.

Araghchi also said contacts between Iran and the United States had not been cut off, although no significant progress had yet been achieved in the negotiations. He added that both sides were still studying draft texts that had been exchanged.

Separately, a member of the media team attached to Iran's negotiating delegation told Fars news agency that Tehran had not yet submitted its response to the latest US draft proposal. The official said discussions were continuing and no final decision had been made.

According to the report, any eventual memorandum of understanding between Iran and the United States would follow a four-stage mechanism if finalized and approved. The official also stressed that Iran would not enter into an agreement that ignored Lebanon, while reiterating that talks remained ongoing.

Meanwhile, Trump suggested that progress in negotiations with Tehran could emerge within days. Speaking to reporters at the White House on Wednesday, the US president said an agreement might be close, although he cautioned that nothing was certain.

"They are close to signing papers," Trump said, adding that negotiations were going well and that a breakthrough "could happen over the weekend."

Trump also said that under a deal being discussed with Iran, the United States would obtain Tehran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium, one of the key sticking points in the negotiations. "We will get it," Trump said, indicating that the fate of Iran's enriched uranium reserves remains central to any potential agreement between the two sides.

The latest statements underscore the delicate balance between escalating regional tensions involving Israel and Lebanon and parallel diplomatic efforts aimed at reaching a broader understanding between Washington and Tehran, with negotiators still working through major outstanding issues.

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