The war is over, but Israel does not intend to stop

Finally, the war involving the United States, Israel and Iran, which lasted more than three months, has come to an end. Officially, a peace agreement has been reached between the United States and Iran. As before, the bridge to this agreement was built by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Until now, there had been at least four diplomatic attempts mediated by Pakistan to achieve a ceasefire between the United States and Iran. However, the parties are now looking forward to the agreement scheduled to be signed on June 19 in Geneva, Switzerland.

In particular, U.S. President Donald Trump announced on his Truth Social account that the agreement with Iran had been finalized and congratulated everyone. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the agreement between the United States and Iran would be signed digitally and remotely. The peace agreement was even announced by Iranian state television.

Israel, another key participant in the attacks in the Middle East, again appears dissatisfied with the agreement. At a time when the repeatedly mentioned “peace agreement” is officially being put on paper, Israel struck Beirut. Trump strongly condemned the attacks and sharply reprimanded Netanyahu. While the parties and mediators have claimed more than five times that an agreement has been reached, Israel’s attacks on Lebanon once again resemble the previous scenario. So, will peace really be established this time, or will another ceasefire remain only on paper?

The war is over: The United States and Iran reach agreement

Pakistan again appears to be trying to reconcile the United States and Iran. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who seems to have drawn the “right conclusion” from the 21-hour Islamabad talks held on April 11, officially announced that a peace agreement had been reached between the United States and Iran. According to him, the parties agreed to an immediate and final halt to military operations in all directions, including in Lebanon.

U.S. President Donald Trump also announced on Truth Social that the agreement with Iran had been finalized.

“Congratulations to everyone! I have authorized the opening of the Strait of Hormuz without duties or restrictions and the immediate lifting of the naval blockade imposed by the U.S. Navy. Ships of the world, start your engines. Let the oil flow,” Trump wrote.

Later, he told journalists that the Strait of Hormuz would be opened after the agreement with Iran is officially signed.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi also confirmed in an interview with state television that the text of the agreement with the United States had been finalized and would be signed in Switzerland on June 19.

He emphasized that after the agreement, negotiations would continue for 60 days to draft a final peace treaty. During this period, Iran will closely monitor compliance with the terms of the memorandum.

U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance said he planned to attend the signing ceremony in Geneva, but added that the President himself could also travel there. Iranian state television also announced the U.S.-Iran peace agreement.

Israel dissatisfied with agreement

On June 14, the Israeli Air Force carried out new airstrikes on areas in Beirut controlled by Hezbollah. According to Lebanon’s National News Agency, three people were killed and 15 others were injured in the attack.

After the strike, Iranian Parliament Speaker and head of the negotiating team Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf criticized the United States and warned that if Israel’s attacks continue, the negotiation process could be suspended. Tel Aviv, however, described the attacks as a response to rocket strikes carried out by Hezbollah forces.

U.S. President Donald Trump said he expressed strong dissatisfaction with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a phone call over the strike on Beirut.

According to Trump, Israel carried out the attack on the Lebanese capital at a time when a memorandum aimed at ending the war between the United States and Iran was expected to be signed. For this reason, during the conversation with Netanyahu, he sharply reprimanded him, saying: “Do you realize what you are doing?”

The U.S. President said he was angered by Netanyahu’s actions and stated that he lacked the ability to make the right decision. Trump also called on Israel not to carry out new attacks against Hezbollah.

He noted that the agreement between the United States and Iran was supposed to be signed that day, but Israel’s strike on Beirut delayed the process.

In response to Trump’s warning, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the country’s military operation in Lebanon would continue. According to Israeli media, Israel will not withdraw its troops from Lebanon and does not consider itself bound by the Lebanon clause in the Iran agreement.

Israel’s national security minister said the U.S.-Iran agreement does not apply to Israel and that Israel does not obey the United States.

“Trump’s agreement does not oblige us. Israel does not obey the United States, and we are an independent and sovereign state. We emphasize once again: we love the United States and are grateful to President Trump. Nevertheless, the State of Israel is not a banana republic,” the Israeli national security minister said.

Global reaction to the peace agreement

World leaders welcomed the news. In particular, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wrote on X that the agreement between the United States and Iran was an important step toward strengthening peace and stability in the region.

“I sincerely hope that this news, which the whole world has long been waiting for, will pave the way for the establishment of an environment of lasting peace and security in our region,” Erdogan wrote on X.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres congratulated the United States and Iran on reaching what he called a “peace agreement” and said it would mean a “permanent ceasefire” for the warring states.

“This is an important step toward resolving the conflict peacefully,” he said.

Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday described the agreement as “an important step toward strengthening sustainable peace and encouraging economic growth.” The ministry also noted that the process would help reduce tensions in the Middle East and bring the positions of the parties closer together.

French President Emmanuel Macron also supported efforts to ease tensions in the region and welcomed the possible positive economic impact following the reopening of the strait.

“The restoration of maritime traffic without any restrictions or fees is an important condition for regional stability and the global economy,” Macron wrote on X.

According to analysts, the United States and Iran had appeared to be moving closer to an agreement for several weeks. However, the issue of reopening the strait became the most important and controversial point in negotiations between the two countries. Iran briefly agreed to this last month, creating some relief for oil trade in Gulf countries that rely on this route.

Hearing news of a “peace agreement” is good, and confirmation of the agreement by the two opposing sides is even better. However, the statistics on thousands of victims behind the attacks show how devastating war is. The largest number of casualties was recorded in Iran and Lebanon.

According to the U.S.-based human rights organization HRANA, after attacks launched by the United States and Israel in late February, the conflict in the region expanded, and more than 3,600 people were killed in Iran. More than 1,700 of them were civilians.

More than 3,700 people were also killed in Lebanon, 36 in Gulf countries and 20 in Israel. In addition, 13 U.S. military personnel were killed.