Bagheri Kani Says Iran-U.S. 'Message Exchange' Continues After Raisi's Death

The head of Iran's Foreign Ministry, who is on a trip to Lebanon, claimed in a press conference that negotiations between Iran and the U.S. continue even after the death of Ebrahim Raisi. On Tuesday, June 14, Ali Bagheri Kani responded to a question about the Iran-U.S. negotiations in Oman prior to the helicopter crash that killed Raisi and Iran's foreign minister, stating, "We have always continued negotiations with the negotiating parties, and there has never been a break in this process." Speaking at the Iranian embassy in Beirut, he noted that negotiations with the U.S. are aimed at "lifting sanctions" and confirmed that this process continues after the incident that led to the former president's death: "Currently, negotiations are ongoing, and message exchanges continue, and our consultations with various officials related to the negotiations are ongoing." Three days before Raisi's death in the incident, Axios reported that two senior officials from the Biden administration had indirectly discussed with Iranian officials in Oman how to prevent escalation of regional conflicts. Axios cited informed sources stating that this meeting included Brett McGurk, Biden's senior advisor on the Middle East, and Ibrahim Pilly, the deputy special representative for Iran. However, the website "Middle East Eye" reported after Raisi's death, citing informed sources, that there were "secret negotiations" between the Islamic Republic and the United States regarding developments in Gaza in recent weeks. The website further stated that the sudden death of Ebrahim Raisi has "jeopardized these negotiations." In another part of his meeting with journalists, the head of the Islamic Republic's Foreign Ministry took a negative stance on the ceasefire plan proposed by President Joe Biden, calling for the United States to end its support for Israel, claiming that in this case, Israel's hands would be "empty" and it would cease the "massacre" of Palestinians. Meanwhile, coinciding with Ali Bagheri Kani's visit to Beirut, Lebanese media reported Israeli army attacks in the south of the country. Official Lebanese media on Tuesday noted the intensification of border clashes in recent days between the two countries, reporting that Israeli attacks on a car and a motorcycle in southern Lebanon left two dead. These two separate attacks occurred near the cities of Naqoura and Zarariyeh, and according to the official Lebanese news agency, one person was also injured. In response to these attacks, the Hezbollah group in Lebanon, supported by the Islamic Republic, announced that it had "fired explosive-laden drones towards Israeli army positions in the north." The Israeli attacks on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon left at least three dead. The head of Iran's Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday, prior to his first official diplomatic trip following the death of Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the former foreign minister of the Islamic Republic, that he was traveling to Lebanon to discuss with "Lebanese officials and resistance leaders about ways to confront Israel." Mr. Kani met with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, and Foreign Minister Abdullah Bouhabib upon his arrival in Beirut. In his meeting with the Lebanese foreign minister, the head of the Islamic Republic's Foreign Ministry emphasized that "Islamic resistance in Lebanon is the anchor of stability and security in the region." He also reported that discussions were held with Lebanese officials regarding the situation of the war in Gaza and Rafah as well as Lebanon. The Islamic Republic of Iran refers to its affiliated militia groups in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, and Yemen as the "axis of resistance" that attacks U.S. and Israeli targets and positions in the region. Since the extremist Hamas group's attack on southern Israel on October 7, which marked the beginning of the war in Gaza, Hezbollah has regularly exchanged fire with Israel, and in recent weeks, these attacks have intensified along the border between the two countries. This Iranian-backed militia group claims that these attacks are conducted in support of the people of Gaza and the Hamas group. In response, Israel has expanded its attacks deep into Lebanese territory and has also targeted this militia group's positions in Syria.