German Chancellor calls for Lebanon to be covered by Iran‑US ceasefire

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said the cease‑fire agreement reached between Iran and the United States must also apply to Lebanon. Speaking after an EU summit in Brussels, he noted that EU leaders discussed the Tehran‑Washington memorandum and the situation in Lebanon, and urged Israel to halt settlement expansion in the West Bank. Scholz added that EU officials have debated possible commercial measures against Israel, but Germany has so far opposed such steps.

The cease‑fire entered its 73rd day amid stalled talks in Switzerland, with U.S. President Donald Trump asserting a hard‑line stance while warning of broader economic fallout. France’s foreign minister called on the United States to pressure Israel to stop its attacks on southern Lebanon. Israel’s army reported clashes with Hezbollah, resulting in the death of four soldiers, including a battalion commander, and the Lebanese health ministry reported 18 fatalities and 33 injuries from Israeli air strikes. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard issued a statement to the Supreme Leader praising Iran’s defensive posture and warning of continued readiness to confront perceived aggression.