Israel says IDF is staying in southern Lebanon undermining Iran peace talks

Israel Katz told a conference in Tel Aviv there was no pressure from the US administration for the Israel Defense Forces to retreat from southern Lebanon. Photograph: Ronen Zvulun/Reuters View image in fullscreen Israel Katz told a conference in Tel Aviv there was no pressure from the US administration for the Israel Defense Forces to retreat from southern Lebanon. Photograph: Ronen Zvulun/Reuters Israel says IDF is staying in southern Lebanon, undermining Iran peace talks Defence minister says troops are not withdrawing even though Tehran sees end to conflict in Lebanon as part of any deal with US The Israeli defence minister, Israel Katz, has said that Israeli troops would not withdraw from southern Lebanon , further complicating Iran peace talks as fighting in Lebanon continues to be an obstacle to permanent peace. Speaking on stage in an interview in Tel Aviv, Katz said that Israeli troops would remain in south Lebanon – echoing sentiments from the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu . “The IDF is prepared … and we are not retreating. We announced that in any case we are not withdrawing, and as of this moment – and this is a political achievement – there is no American demand for Israel to withdraw from Lebanon,” Katz said during a conference in Tel Aviv. The US and Iran signed an accord last week extending a fragile ceasefire and setting the stage for 60 days of talks meant to lead to a permanent peace. The first hiccups to the memorandum of understanding (MOU) came last week after Israel continued its campaign in south Lebanon, leading Iran to threaten closure of the strait of Hormuz . The US and Iran’s interpretation of the MOU has significantly differed, particularly over Lebanon Iran has insisted that Israel needed to stop its war there and withdraw its troops in the south of the country. Israel has occupied large swathes of south Lebanon in what it calls a “security zone”. View image in fullscreen A resident seen on 24 June surrounded by the rubble of homes and businesses destroyed by the Israeli military, in the southern Lebanese village of Bir Al-Salasil. Photograph: Fadel Itani/AFP/Getty Images View image in fullscreen Displaced people make their way back to their homes in southern Lebanon following an interim deal between the US and Iran, in Sidon, Lebanon on 24 June. Photograph: Aziz Taher/Reuters Israel and the Lebanese government are engaged in US-mediated talks, which, among other things, seek to arrange an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory. Israel is seeking a phased approach, where it will hand off territory to the Lebanese army tasked with keeping the area free of Hezbollah fighters. These talks however do not involve Hezbollah, calling into question how effective they can be. Iran, which is not a part of the Israel-Lebanon talks, has worked hard to link a ceasefire with Iran to an end to fighting in Lebanon. “For us, a ceasefire in Lebanon is as important as a ceasefire in Iran and, further, an end to the war