US President Donald Trump on Sunday warned Iran of possible military action if it failed to rein in Hezbollah, as senior American and Iranian officials opened peace talks in Switzerland aimed at preserving a fragile regional ceasefire.
The negotiations come amid renewed tensions between Israel and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, raising concerns about the durability of the preliminary peace agreement recently reached between Washington and Tehran.
“Iran must immediately stop their highly paid PROXIES in Lebanon from causing trouble,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. “If they don’t, we’ll hit Iran very hard again, just like we did last week, only harder!!!”
The warning followed days of violence in Lebanon, where Israeli airstrikes reportedly killed at least 30 people on Saturday in eastern and southern parts of the country. Fighting later subsided after the Israeli military was ordered to halt operations against Hezbollah.
The memorandum of understanding signed by the United States and Iran on Wednesday calls for a cessation of hostilities across the region, including in Lebanon, where Hezbollah remains a key Iranian ally.
Speaking at the opening of the Switzerland talks on Sunday, US Vice President JD Vance expressed optimism that the ceasefire would hold despite recent clashes.
“We’ve seen great progress in the last 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 work to do, but we’re going to keep at it.”
Vance also argued that the Trump administration had played a leading role in efforts to de-escalate the conflict, saying the United States had done more than any other country in recent months to help stop the fighting in Lebanon.
The Switzerland talks are expected to focus on sustaining the ceasefire and advancing discussions on broader regional security issues, including Iran’s nuclear programme and the role of armed groups allied with Tehran.
AFP
