G7 Leaders Call for Lebanon Ceasefire While Welcoming US-Iran Truce

Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) nations issued a joint declaration on Wednesday demanding an immediate, robust ceasefire in Lebanon while formally welcoming a preliminary peace agreement between the United States and Iran aimed at ending the broader Middle East war.

Gathered for their annual summit on the shores of Lake Geneva, the leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United States expressed cautious optimism over the developing truce. The breakthrough deal personally signed by U.S. President Donald Trump and trickling out ahead of its formal Friday unveiling extends a temporary ceasefire by 60 days to allow Washington and Tehran to negotiate a permanent resolution.

However, escalating cross-border violence between Israel and Hezbollah threatens to derail the historic diplomatic progress. Iran has maintained that any permanent peace with Washington hinges on ending hostilities in Lebanon and a total withdrawal of Israeli forces from the south. Conversely, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently rejected an immediate exit, vowing to stay in security zones as long as necessary.

The impasse has exposed a severe rift between the U.S. and its closest Middle Eastern ally. Speaking at the summit, President Trump publicly berated Netanyahu, stating he was “not happy” with Israel’s handling of the conflict and warning that continued fighting “throws a negative light on the big deal.”

To stabilize the region, the G7 communique threw its full weight behind the Lebanese leadership’s efforts to disarm Hezbollah and secure the nation’s territorial integrity. Furthermore, a European-led coalition is preparing to secure international shipping corridors as the Strait of Hormuz is expected to reopen on Friday.

As part of the 60-day negotiation window, the U.S. plans to waive sanctions on Iranian oil, though global energy markets will take months to recover. In response to the economic shocks of the war, G7 leaders also pledged to rapidly diversify energy supply routes to mitigate global reliance on the strategic Strait of Hormuz.