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• Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said U.S. must choose between ceasefire or "continued war via Israel" as Israeli strikes killed 89 in Lebanon
• President Trump said Lebanon is excluded from ceasefire "because of Hezbollah"; called it a "separate skirmish"
• Ten European leaders and Pakistan say ceasefire includes Lebanon; Israel says it doesn't
• Iran suspended Strait of Hormuz traffic Wednesday in response to Lebanon strikes; Revolutionary Guards vowed to "punish Israel"

TEHRAN/WASHINGTON (TDR) — Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned Wednesday that the U.S. must choose between the ceasefire agreement or "continued war via Israel," declaring that the truce must include Lebanon or the conflict will resume — directly contradicting President Trump's statement that Lebanon is excluded.

The big picture: The two-week U.S.-Iran ceasefire announced Tuesday is fracturing within hours over a fundamental disagreement about its geographic scope, with Israel bombing Lebanon heavily (89 killed, 700 wounded Wednesday) while claiming the truce doesn't apply there.

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• Araghchi posted on X: "The Iran–U.S. Ceasefire terms are clear and explicit: the U.S. must choose—ceasefire or continued war via Israel. It cannot have both"
• Trump told PBS: "Lebanon was not included in the ceasefire deal because of Hezbollah... That's a separate skirmish" and when asked if he's OK with Israel continuing to bomb Lebanon, he said it was "part of the deal"
• Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the mediator, said the ceasefire applies "everywhere including Lebanon" — a claim Israel's Netanyahu directly contradicted
• Iran's Revolutionary Guards vowed on Telegram to "punish Israel for the atrocities it has committed in Lebanon and violating ceasefire conditions"

Why it matters: The Lebanon loophole threatens to unravel the entire ceasefire before talks even begin, as Iran has already suspended Hormuz traffic and is threatening withdrawal.

• Iranian state media reported Wednesday that Tehran is prepared to withdraw from the ceasefire entirely if Israel continues attacks on Lebanon
• Fars News Agency reported Iran suspended all Strait of Hormuz traffic Wednesday morning in response to Israel's Lebanon strikes, allowing only two tankers through before halting passage
• Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said the military carried out its "largest coordinated strike across Lebanon" Wednesday, hitting hundreds of Hezbollah members
• Lebanese Health Ministry said 89 were killed and 700 wounded including 12 medics in southern Lebanon

Driving the news: The contradiction emerged immediately after the ceasefire announcement, with the White House publishing a different document than Iran's state media.

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• White House officials said a 10-point ceasefire plan published by Iranian media is "not the working framework" agreed to by Washington
• Iran's plan included continued Hormuz control, sanctions lifting, and uranium enrichment acceptance — all contrary to U.S. demands
• Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot condemned a massive Israeli strike that hit "just a few hundred metres" from the Belgian embassy in Beirut, saying "This must stop. The ceasefire between the US, Israel and Iran must include Lebanon!"
• Ten European leaders (France, Italy, Germany, UK, Canada, Denmark, Netherlands, Spain, EU Commission, EU Council) issued a joint statement calling for ceasefire implementation "including in Lebanon"

What they're saying: The international community is largely siding with Iran's interpretation that Lebanon must be included, while the U.S. and Israel maintain a carve-out.

• Araghchi: "The world sees the massacres in Lebanon. The ball is in the U.S. court, and the world is watching whether it will act on its commitments"
• Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar: "Nothing is over yet... I don't see how it is possible to bridge the positions of the U.S. and Iran"
• Netanyahu: "We are prepared to return to combat at any moment required. Our finger remains on the trigger"
• UN Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq: "We continue to call on all sides to avail themselves of diplomatic channels, cease hostilities" including in Lebanon

Yes, but: The ceasefire has survived its first 24 hours despite the Lebanon contradiction, and direct U.S.-Iran talks are scheduled for April 10 in Islamabad.

• Trump announced the U.S. will work with a "new, more reasonable regime" in Iran and is discussing tariff and sanctions relief
• The White House said Iran has indicated it would turn over enriched uranium — a key U.S. demand
• Oil prices dropped nearly 20% on the ceasefire news, with Brent falling to $111 before rebounding on Lebanon tensions
• Pakistan has invited both delegations for face-to-face talks April 10 to "settle all disputes"

Between the lines: The Lebanon exclusion appears to be a U.S. concession to Israel that now threatens the entire agreement, as Iran cannot politically accept a ceasefire that allows continued Israeli bombing of its Hezbollah allies.

• Trump's statement that Israel bombing Lebanon is "part of the deal" suggests the U.S. traded Lebanon for Iran's Hormuz reopening
• Iran's threat to withdraw if Lebanon attacks continue creates a hair-trigger for ceasefire collapse
• The Revolutionary Guards' warning that they will "punish Israel" puts Iranian hardliners in position to torpedo diplomacy
• European pressure to include Lebanon reflects concern that the loophole will expand the war, not contain it

What's next:

• U.S.-Iran talks scheduled for April 10 in Islamabad; ceasefire is set for two weeks but can be extended by mutual agreement
• Iran has threatened to withdraw from the ceasefire entirely if Israel continues Lebanon attacks
• Strait of Hormuz traffic remains suspended pending Lebanon de-escalation
• Israel says it has "objectives to complete" and will achieve them "either through agreement or through renewed fighting"

If the U.S.-Iran ceasefire explicitly excludes Lebanon, allowing Israel to continue bombing while Iran must hold fire, does that create a sustainable diplomatic path forward — or does it guarantee the ceasefire collapses within days?

Sources

This report was compiled using information from NBC News, The Hindu, and Middle East Monitor.

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