Washington (Web Desk): US President Donald Trump said on Monday that the United States would either strike an agreement with Iran or "finish the job", while making it clear that his preferred option was diplomacy.
His remarks came as tensions across the Middle East remained elevated during the funeral ceremonies for Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz claimed that Israel had killed Khamenei because he was allegedly behind a "plan to destroy" Israel.
According to Israel's Channel 13, as cited by Al Jazeera, Katz also warned that any Iranian leader pursuing similar objectives could face the same fate. He said Israel remained fully prepared to protect itself against any threat at any time.
Katz had earlier declared that Khamenei's son and expected successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, was "marked for death", drawing a strong response from Tehran. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused Trump of aligning himself with Israel, saying Trump "has committed the US to muzzling its pets in Tel Aviv". He further warned, "Any threat against our people and leadership will receive an immediate, powerful response."
Meanwhile, Iranian Parliament Speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said that although Iran had recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the United States, major differences still remained between the two sides. He described the implementation of the agreement as "difficult, but possible," according to Al Jazeera.
Ghalibaf made the remarks during talks in Tehran with Mohammad Darwish, head of Hamas's leadership council, who had travelled to Iran to participate in Khamenei's funeral ceremonies.
Addressing the meeting, Ghalibaf said, "We have no peace with the United States, and we will not recognise Israel," while reaffirming that Iran would continue supporting Muslims and the "axis of resistance" under Khamenei's guidance, "if needed with missiles and if political pressure is required, pressure through negotiations".
He also stressed that Iran should avoid "negotiation for the sake of negotiation".
Referring to discussions with Washington, Ghalibaf said, "We told the American side that the territorial integrity of regional countries and the cessation of war against Iran’s allies in the resistance groups must be part of the memorandum, and it was added to the text."
He added that Muslim nations had an important responsibility in the region, saying, "They have now realised that cooperation with the US and Israel will not bring them security."
Later, during a separate meeting in Tehran with senior Hezbollah official Muhammad Fneish, who had also travelled to Iran for the funeral ceremonies, Ghalibaf said lasting peace in Lebanon would not be possible unless Iran continued what he described as its stabilising role in the region, according to Al Jazeera.
Iran's chief negotiator said Lebanon had been one of Tehran's key priorities during negotiations that resulted in the Iran-US memorandum of understanding. According to Iranian media, he stated, "We had a special emphasis on Lebanon’s territorial integrity and sovereignty."
Ghalibaf also praised Hezbollah's military campaign against Israel in support of Iran during the recent US-Israeli conflict, describing it as a "turning point in history" that reflected the "unbreakable bond" linking Iran with groups forming the "axis of resistance".
Meanwhile, Israeli forces continued military activity in southern Lebanon on Monday. Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported that Israeli troops demolished several houses in the border town of Aitaroun and carried out an overnight explosion in Houla, located in the Marjayoun district, although the specific target of the blast was not disclosed.
The military operations coincided with continued surveillance flights by Israeli drones over Beirut's southern suburbs.
The developments came despite an existing ceasefire and a US-sponsored framework agreement signed on June 26 between Lebanon and Israel, which calls for a phased Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory, beginning with two unspecified pilot areas.
According to official Lebanese figures, Israel has maintained military operations in Lebanon since March 2, leaving more than 4,300 people dead and over 12,000 injured.
Israeli forces also continue to hold positions in parts of southern Lebanon, including areas occupied for decades as well as territory captured during the 2023-2024 conflict, while advancing more than 10 kilometres into Lebanese territory during the latest offensive.