The Iranian foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said on Wednesday that lines of communication with the United States were still open, but ‘no tangible progress’ was made in negotiations to end the war.

‘Communications with the Americans have not been cut off, and messages have been exchanged regarding the need to stop aggression against Beirut, but no tangible progress has been made in the negotiation process,’ the Tasnim news agency quoted him as telling Lebanon’s Al Mayadeen TV.

‘Returning to the negotiating table is conditional on ensuring the rights of the Iranian people, ending the war in Lebanon, and stopping tensions in the region.’

Any attack on Beirut will trigger ‘full-scale resumption of war’

The Iranian foreign minister warned that any attack on Lebanese capital Beirut would trigger a ‘full-scale resumption’ of the war, as Israel pressed its campaign against Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

‘Any attack on Beirut will have grave consequences and will lead to a full-scale resumption of the war,’ the Tasnim news agency quoted Araghchi as telling Al Mayadeen TV. ‘Our armed forces are ready to strike Israel if it attacks Beirut.'