Iran's Khamenei ties US peace deal to ending Israeli attacks

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has declared that any peace agreement with the United States is conditional on an immediate and unconditional end to Israeli military action in Lebanon, reaffirming Tehran’s unwavering strategic support for the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. Khamenei made the statement in a social media post on Sunday, July 26, 2026, in response to a letter of allegiance from Hezbollah’s leadership and fighters.

Khamenei stated that Iran has designated the preservation of Lebanon’s territorial integrity and the absolute termination of Israeli aggression as the primary condition for any agreement to end the conflict with the United States. He described defending Hezbollah as a strategic mandate for Iran, praising the group as an "unshakeable rock" against what he termed the "brutal onslaught" of Israel and its allies. In his post, Khamenei asserted that growing global frustration with the United States and Israel has made resistance the only viable path forward.

The remarks come amid a fragile pause in direct hostilities between the United States and Iran and ongoing diplomatic efforts. The two sides had previously signed a 14-point memorandum...