Iran has expressed deep skepticism about the United States as negotiations aimed at ending tensions between the two countries remain deadlocked over a new proposal reportedly put forward by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Speaking after being sworn in again as Speaker of Parliament, Iran’s chief negotiator, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, said Tehran would only commit to any agreement if it guarantees the rights and interests of the Iranian people.
According to reports cited by Reuters, Qalibaf stressed that Iran does not trust U.S. promises and would only fulfill its obligations after seeing concrete and verifiable results.
“There is no trust in the enemy’s words and promises. Our only criterion is to achieve tangible results before we fulfill our commitments in return,” he said.
His remarks came after Trump claimed that Iran had provided assurances that it would not pursue nuclear weapons. Reports also suggest that Washington recently sent a tougher peace proposal to Tehran as both sides continue efforts to reach a lasting agreement. Trump has repeatedly stated that preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons and restoring full access to the strategically important Strait of Hormuz remain key objectives of any deal.
Meanwhile, tensions in the region escalated further as Israeli forces captured the historic Beaufort Castle in southern Lebanon, marking their deepest military advance into the country in more than two decades.
The medieval fortress, located on a mountain overlooking the city of Nabatiyeh, was seized following days of intense clashes and airstrikes targeting Hezbollah positions in the surrounding area.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the operation as a significant turning point in Israel’s military campaign.
“Today, we have returned to Beaufort in a different way. We have returned united, determined, and stronger than ever,” Netanyahu said in a video statement.
He added that the capture of the castle represented a major shift in Israeli strategy, saying the country had “broken the barrier of fear” and was now taking the initiative across multiple fronts, including Syria, Gaza and Lebanon.
Israel’s Defence Minister, Israel Katz, also confirmed that troops had raised the Israeli flag over the fortress. He noted that Israeli forces had previously occupied Beaufort Castle during the 1982 Lebanon War before withdrawing from the area in 2000.
The military advance has drawn international concern. France has called for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council, arguing that Israel’s continued military operations and expanding presence inside Lebanese territory cannot be justified despite its right to self-defence.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said Paris was concerned about the deepening occupation of Lebanese territory and urged immediate international attention to the situation.
The seizure of Beaufort Castle comes despite a ceasefire that has officially been in place since April and only days before another round of diplomatic talks is scheduled to take place at the U.S. State Department on June 2 and 3.
The latest developments underscore the fragile state of Middle East diplomacy, with both the Iran-U.S. nuclear negotiations and the Israel-Lebanon conflict continuing to pose major challenges to regional stability.
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