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USA, Iran, Israel, Beirut: Historic Principles of Sovereignty and Non-Interference

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In recent weeks, public debate in Israel has focused primarily on one aspect of the emerging agreement between the United States and Iran: Lebanon.

Critics of the agreement have argued that provisions relating to Lebanese sovereignty and the cessation of military operations could limit Israel’s freedom of action against Hezbollah. These are important concerns that deserve serious discussion. Yet alongside this debate, another aspect of the agreement has received far less attention:

What exactly does the agreement require Iran to stop doing?

According to the framework document known as the “14-Point Agreement,” signed by the President of the United States and the President of Iran as the basis for the current negotiations, the parties and their allies commit to the immediate and permanent cessation of military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon. They further undertake not to initiate war or military operations against one another, to refrain from threats or the use of force, and to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon.

Most discussion in Israel has focused on what these provisions could mean for Israel.

Far less attention has been given to what they may mean for Iran.

For more than four decades, Iran’s regional strategy has been built on a combination of military deterrence, support for proxy organizations, and ideological confrontation with Israel. Iranian leaders repeatedly spoke of the eventual disappearance of the “Zionist regime.” In 2015, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei declared that Israel would not survive the next 25 years. In 2019, he clarified that Iran’s objective was........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)