Israel's far-right national security minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, on Monday denounced the deal between the United States and Iran to end the Middle East war, including in Lebanon, insisting his country was not bound by it.

"Trump's agreement does not bind us... we are not party to this agreement. It does not safeguard our security," Ben Gvir said on his Telegram channel, in what was the first reaction from an Israeli official to the deal agreed to by US President Donald Trump with Iran.

"We must not settle for anything less than the dismantling of Hezbollah. We must not withdraw from a single inch of territory that our soldiers have captured and cleared."

Ben Gvir's denouncement came as top EU officials welcomed the deal, saying Europe was ready to contribute to "a lasting peace".

"I look forward to an end to this costly war and the full restoration of freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz," Antonio Costa, the president of the European Council representing member states, wrote on X.

"Weapons must now fall silent," Costa urged, saying the "European Union is ready to contribute to advancing a comprehensive strategy for lasting peace across the Middle East."

European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen stressed the "priority now is its swift and full implementation" – calling on "all parties to respect Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity and implement a genuine ceasefire."

"There can be no peace in the Middle East while Lebanon is in flames," she warned, adding that Hormuz reopening was "essential for regional stability and the global economy" and that a final deal "should end Iran's nuclear and ballistic programmes and its destabilising activities in the region".

Heading into talks with the bloc's foreign ministers, EU top diplomat Kaja Kallas said ministers would discuss on Monday "how the EU can be closely involved in the next phase." (Reuters/AFP)




Edited by Tony Sabine