Marandi After Beirut Suburb Strike: No Further Negotiations for No
WANA (Jun 14) – Mohammad Marandi, a political analyst and a member of Iran’s negotiating team, signaled a halt in diplomatic efforts following Israel’s latest strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs.
Hours after the attack, Marandi posted a brief message on X, writing: “There will be no further negotiations for now.”
His remarks came as Israel’s strike on southern Beirut once again heightened political and diplomatic tensions across the region. According to Lebanese sources, the attack targeted a five-story building in the suburb and, according to the latest figures, left at least three people dead and six others injured.
Marandi’s comments echoed statements made earlier by Iranian officials. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Speaker of Iran’s Parliament, said the strike demonstrated that the United States either lacks the will or the ability to uphold its commitments. He argued that after Washington effectively gave a green light to such attacks, continuing the diplomatic track would be difficult.
At the same time, reports from American and Israeli media suggested that U.S. officials had been informed of the operation in advance. Axios, citing Israeli and U.S. sources, reported that Israel had notified the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) about the details of the strike before it was carried out.
Israel has claimed that the attack was conducted in response to alleged Hezbollah rocket fire. However, the timing of the operation—while efforts were underway to preserve the ceasefire and advance political talks—has raised new questions about the future of the diplomatic process.
Marandi’s statement has attracted particular attention because he was part of Iran’s negotiating team in the Islamabad talks, which were launched after the ceasefire with the aim of ending the conflict and preventing further escalation in the region.
His assessment that “there will be no further negotiations for now” is therefore being viewed as a sign of the direct impact that developments in Lebanon may have on ongoing political and diplomatic efforts.
