Washington, DC – Jamal Abdi, President of the National Iranian American Council, issued the following statement amid reports that Israel and Lebanon have agreed to a ceasefire to halt the conflict that has claimed the lives of more than 3,700 in Lebanon:
Back to top“We welcome the news of a ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel and hope this agreement will end the suffering of ordinary civilians and set the stage for a broader cessation of conflict across the region. The incoming Trump administration should take note of the signal Iran is sending in helping support this negotiated settlement. When combined with reports of a very early meeting with Iranian officials during Trump’s transition, and declarations from both Trump and Iranian officials of openness to negotiations, it appears that both sides may be seriously interested in negotiations – unlike eight years ago. This ripe environment should be capitalized on, but risks being spoiled by hawks in the incoming administration.
“The U.S. needs to build on today’s limited win and prevent the violence from re-erupting, while at the same time working to secure a durable ceasefire to the conflict in Gaza and to resolve broader regional challenges with Iran. The significance of this negotiation very much depends on what happens next.”