BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 17. An academic from Tehran University, Mohammad Eslami, has warned that continued Israeli military activity in Lebanon could lead to further Iranian retaliation and complicate ongoing diplomatic efforts between Tehran and Washington.
TurkicWorld reports that Eslami said Lebanon was one of the key priorities for Iran during negotiations with the Trump administration, reflecting its strategic importance in regional calculations and alliances.
He argued that Iran’s responses to earlier Israeli strikes in Beirut’s Dahiyeh district demonstrated its willingness to escalate both defensively and pre-emptively, signalling strong political and military commitment to its regional partners in Lebanon.
Eslami also claimed that current Israeli actions could be aimed at undermining the diplomatic settlement between Iran and the United States, describing the situation as an attempt to “sabotage” ongoing negotiations.
He added that Iranian policymakers are currently assessing possible future scenarios, particularly if US commitments under the memorandum of understanding are not fully implemented and if Israeli strikes in Lebanon continue.
According to him, any renewed Israeli attacks could trigger repeated rounds of Iranian retaliation, further increasing the risk of broader regional escalation.
