US-Iran deal pressures Israel over Lebanon withdrawal

country placed at the centre of ceasefire diplomacy

Lebanon, officially the Lebanese Republic, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west; Cyprus lies a short distance from the coastline. Lebanon has a population of more than five million and an area of 10,452 square kilometres (4,036 sq mi).

country whose prime minister said the deal takes immediate effect

Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the second-largest Muslim population in the world as of 2023. Islamabad is the nation's capital, while Karachi is its largest city and financial centre. Pakistan is the 33rd-largest country by area.

state whose conduct in southern Lebanon is questioned

Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in the Southern Levant region of West Asia. It is bordered by Lebanon to the north, Syria to the northeast, Jordan to the east, and Egypt to the southwest. Israel's western coast lies on the Mediterranean Sea, its southern tip reaches the Red Sea, and to the east is Earth's lowest point near the Dead Sea.

area where Israeli troops may remain in a border security zone

The Upper Galilee is a geographical region located in northern Israel and southern Lebanon. Part of the larger Galilee region, it is characterized by its higher elevations and mountainous terrain. The term "Upper Galilee" is ancient, and has been in use since the end of the Second Temple period. From a political perspective, the Upper Galilee is situated within the administrative boundaries of the Northern District of Israel.

Israel's main adversary in Lebanon

Hezbollah is a Lebanese Shia Islamist political party with an active paramilitary wing whose military and security activities have been prohibited by the Lebanese government since March 2026, amid Israel's war on Lebanon. Hezbollah's paramilitary wing is the Jihad Council, and its political wing is the Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc party in the Lebanese Parliament. Its armed strength was assessed to be equivalent to that of a medium-sized army in 2016.

framework referenced in U.S.-led diplomacy and stability efforts

host city for EU and NATO institutions

The City of Brussels is the largest municipality and historical centre of the Brussels-Capital Region, as well as the capital of the French Community of Belgium, the Flemish Region, and Belgium. The City of Brussels is also the administrative centre of the European Union, as it hosts a number of principal EU institutions in its European Quarter.

region affected by escalation, sanctions and humanitarian funding

The Middle East is a geopolitical region that is generally defined as encompassing all of West Asia except for the Caucasus and including African Egypt and European Turkey. It roughly corresponds with what was historically referred to in Western Europe as the Near East, which was juxtaposed with the Far East. Unlike West Asia's adherence to continental boundaries, the Middle East is demarcated by following political borders.

institution long associated with Rami Khouri

The American University of Beirut is a private, non-sectarian, and independent university chartered in New York with its main campus in Beirut, Lebanon. AUB is governed by a private, autonomous board of trustees and offers programs leading to bachelor's, master's, MD, and PhD degrees.

Israel's prime minister leading the government resisting limits on military freedom of action

Benjamin Netanyahu, nicknamed "Bibi", is an Israeli politician and diplomat who has served as Prime Minister of Israel since 2022. Having previously held office from 1996 to 1999 and from 2009 to 2021, Netanyahu is Israel's longest-serving prime minister.

Israel's defence minister who linked withdrawal to security conditions

Israel Katz is an Israeli politician and member of the Knesset for Likud currently serving as Minister of Defense and a member of the Security Cabinet of Israel. Katz has been recognized for his role in modernizing Israel's transportation infrastructure, including the expansion of highways, the development of high-speed rail, and reforms to Israel's ports that increased competition and reduced shipping costs.

Lebanon's parliament speaker acting as a channel between Hezbollah-aligned Lebanese actors and U.S. officials

Nabih Mustafa Berri is a Lebanese politician who has been serving as Speaker of the Parliament of Lebanon since 1992. He heads the Amal Movement and its parliamentary wing, Development and Liberation Bloc.

U.S. president reported as a signatory of the memorandum

Donald John Trump is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the 45th president from 2017 to 2021.

Iran's president reported as a signatory of the memorandum

Masoud Pezeshkian is an Iranian politician and heart surgeon who has served as the ninth president of Iran since 2024. A member of the reformist faction, he is the oldest person to serve in this position, taking office at the age of 69.

UN peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon monitoring the Blue Line

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, or UNIFIL is a United Nations peacekeeping mission established on 19 March 1978 by United Nations Security Council Resolutions 425 and 426, and resolution 1701 in 2006 to restore peace and security along the Israel-Lebanon border.

UN-demarcated Israel-Lebanon withdrawal line

Blue Line, also known as North–South Metro, is a rapid transit metro line of the Kolkata Metro in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. It consists of 26 operational stations from Dakshineswar to Kavi Subhash, out of which 9 of the stations are elevated, 2 are at-grade and the remaining 15 are underground. With a total distance of 32.13 km (19.96 mi), the line connects Dakshineswar and New Garia and uses 5 ft 6 in broad gauge tracks.

framework for withdrawal, Lebanese state control and limits on armed groups south of the Litani River

boundary south of which armed groups are limited under Resolution 1701

The Litani River, the classical Leontes, known in medieval times as Līṭa, is an important water resource in southern Lebanon. The river rises in the fertile Beqaa Valley, west of Baalbek, and empties into the Mediterranean Sea north of Tyre. Exceeding 140 km (87 mi) in length, the Litani is the longest river that flows entirely in Lebanon and provides an average annual flow estimated at 0.92 km3.

body that adopted Resolution 1701

The United Nations Security Council is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations, and is the United Nations' executive branch, having primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the UN Charter, include establishing peacekeeping operations, authorizing military action, and imposing international sanctions.

resolution adopted after the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 is a resolution that was intended to resolve the 2006 Lebanon War. The resolution calls for a full cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon, with no armed forces other than UNIFIL and Lebanese military south of the Litani River, which flows about 29 km (18 mi) north of the border, and the disarmament of Hezbollah and other armed groups.

ceasefire that began on 27 November 2024 and tied calm to implementation of 1701

analysts warning that Hezbollah's arsenal and border incidents made broader war increasingly plausible