G7 Leaders Welcome US-Iran Agreement, Call for Immediate Ceasefire in Lebanon

US-Iran War Key News

Central Message

(Central News Agency, Evian-les-Bains, France, June 17 - comprehensive international news) Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) welcomed the interim agreement aimed at ending the conflict with Iran and called for an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon. They also announced plans to diversify energy supply routes to reduce dependence on the Strait of Hormuz.

According to Reuters, as G7 leaders gathered for a summit in the French lakeside town of Evian-les-Bains on Lake Geneva, details of a ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran emerged from Washington and Tehran. The full agreement is expected to be formally announced on the 19th in neighboring Switzerland.

This US-Iran agreement is expected to pave the way for final peace negotiations, ending a war that has claimed over 7,000 lives, primarily in Iran and Lebanon.

In a joint statement, G7 leaders emphasized: "We stress the necessity of negotiations to address the threats posed by Iran to the region and beyond, and to ensure that Iran never acquires nuclear weapons."

The summit provided U.S. President Trump with an opportunity to brief key allies—Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan—on the agreement reached with Iran.

While these allies share U.S. concerns over Iran's nuclear program and other issues, they did not support Trump's decision to initiate war. They also worry that Tehran, having withstood attacks from a superpower and secured control over the Strait of Hormuz, will gain stronger leverage in negotiations.

Although the memorandum of understanding signed by the U.S. and Iran this week has not yet been made public, it extends the ceasefire announced in April by another 60 days, allowing warring parties to negotiate a permanent peace agreement.

However, the biggest unresolved issue behind the ceasefire remains the future of Lebanon. In March, Israel invaded Lebanon to eliminate Hezbollah, a Shiite fundamentalist militia that crossed borders to support Tehran after the U.S. and Israel launched attacks on Iran.

The Israeli military continues to occupy large areas of southern Lebanon, displacing over one million local residents, while Hezbollah remains intact.

Iran insists that the ceasefire agreement must simultaneously end hostilities in Lebanon, and that any permanent agreement must include Israel's withdrawal. Israel, which did not participate in the US-Iran peace talks, insists it will not withdraw and reserves the right to use force.

This has created a rift between Israel and the United States, with Trump publicly rebuking his ally, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Yesterday at the summit, Trump stated he was "not satisfied" with Israel's approach.

G7 leaders called for an "immediate and effective ceasefire" in Lebanon and demanded the disarmament of Hezbollah.

A Hezbollah spokesperson told Reuters that Iran would not agree to a permanent ceasefire unless Israel ends its occupation. (Translation: Ho Hung-ju) 1150617