US President Donald Trump on Sunday warned Iran that the United States could launch fresh military strikes if Tehran fails to restrain Hezbollah amid renewed tensions in southern Lebanon.
The warning came as senior American and Iranian officials commenced a new round of peace negotiations in Switzerland aimed at preserving a fragile agreement reached earlier this month between Washington and Tehran.
Posting on his Truth Social platform, Trump accused Iran of allowing its regional allies to destabilise the situation in Lebanon and issued a direct warning to the Iranian government.
“Iran must immediately stop their highly paid PROXIES in Lebanon from causing trouble,” Trump wrote.
“If they don’t, we’ll hit Iran very hard again, just like we did last week, only harder!!!”
The talks opened against the backdrop of recent clashes between Israeli forces and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, raising concerns about the durability of the preliminary peace agreement signed between the United States and Iran.
The memorandum of understanding reached earlier this month was designed to halt hostilities across multiple fronts in the Middle East, including fighting involving Hezbollah and Israel in Lebanon.
Despite the agreement, tensions have persisted. Israeli airstrikes reportedly killed at least 30 people in eastern and southern Lebanon on Saturday before hostilities eased later in the day after the Israeli military received orders to halt further clashes with Hezbollah.
Speaking at the start of the negotiations, US Vice President JD Vance expressed optimism about developments in Lebanon and the broader peace process.
“I’ve seen great progress in the last just couple of days in ensuring that the ceasefire holds in Lebanon,” Vance said.
“We’re all working towards regional peace. I actually feel great about where we are in Lebanon. There’s still some additional wood to chop but we’re going to keep on working at it.”
Vance also argued that the United States has played a leading role in efforts to reduce tensions in Lebanon and prevent a wider regional conflict.
According to him, the Trump administration has done more than any other country in recent months to encourage stability and maintain the ceasefire arrangements.
The Switzerland negotiations are expected to focus on preserving the ceasefire framework, addressing security concerns in Lebanon and discussing broader issues affecting relations between the United States and Iran.
