Lebanon’s interim prime minister asked Iran to help secure a ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hezbollah and appeared to urge it to convince the militant group to accept a deal that could force withdrawal from the Israeli-Lebanese border.

The prime minister made the comments during his talks with Ali Larijani, a top advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Larijani’s visit to Lebanon comes as the United States continues to pressure both sides to reach an agreement ending 13 months of exchanges of fire between Israel and Hezbollah.

Hezbollah began firing rockets into northern Israel the day after Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which sparked the Gaza war – sparking exchanges between the two sides ever since.

Since late September, Israel has significantly intensified its bombing of Lebanon, promising to cripple Hezbollah and end its barrage on Israel.

More than 3,300 people have been killed in Lebanon by Israeli fire – 80% of them in the past month – according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health.

According to Lebanese media, US Ambassador Lisa Johnson handed a draft ceasefire agreement to Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who is leading the talks on behalf of Hezbollah.

A Lebanese official confirmed that Beirut had received a copy of a draft proposal based on UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the last war between Israel and Hezbollah in the summer of 2006. .

This resolution stipulated, among other things, that only the Lebanese army and UN peacekeeping forces should operate in southern Lebanon, meaning that Hezbollah should end its presence there.

This provision has never been applied.

The Lebanese official did not give details, saying only that Israel insisted that certain guarantees be included.

The US Embassy refused to confirm or deny this information.

During his talks with Larijani, Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati urged Iran to contribute to the implementation of Resolution 1701.

He said the Lebanese government wants the war to end and the resolution to be implemented “in all its details,” according to a statement on the talks released by his office.

Mr. Mikati, who in recent weeks has become more critical of Iran’s role in Lebanon, also said the government wants Iran to contribute to Lebanon’s national unity and not take any positions in favor of one party against another.

Iran’s support for Hezbollah has helped the group, which is the most powerful faction among Lebanon’s Shiite Muslims, dominate the country’s politics over the past decade.

Asked if he was trying to thwart US ceasefire mediation, Larijani said: “We are not trying to blow up the efforts, but we want to resolve the problem and we will stand by Lebanon, whatever the circumstances. »

Mr. Larijani had similar talks the day before in Syria with President Bashar Assad.

Syria’s official news agency said Mr. Assad and Mr. Larijani discussed “the ongoing aggression against Palestine and Lebanon and the need to put an end to it.”

While Mr. Larijani was in Beirut, Israeli forces carried out a new strike on the southeastern edge of the city.

Images taken by an Associated Press (AP) photographer show a rocket about to hit an 11-story residential building in Beirut’s Tayouneh neighborhood – then an explosion of flames erupts from the side of the building.

No casualties were immediately reported.

The Israeli military had issued a warning before the attack, saying it was a facility belonging to Hezbollah.

Near the eastern Lebanese town of Baalbek, rescue teams continued Friday to search through rubble at the site of an Israeli strike the night before one that hit a civil defense center in the town of Douris .

So far, the bodies of 13 Lebanese Civil Defense employees and volunteers have been found, the agency said, along with other remains that will require DNA testing.

Israel has expanded its operations in Lebanon while continuing its campaign in the Gaza Strip, vowing to destroy Hamas, also backed by Iran.

Two children were among the dead, seen with the other dead by an AP reporter.

On Thursday, the 10 elected members of the UN Security Council circulated a draft resolution demanding “an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire” in Gaza.

The United States, Israel’s closest ally, holds the key to whether the UN Security Council adopts the resolution.

The other four permanent members – Russia, China, Britain and France – are expected to support it or abstain.

The war between Israel and Hamas began after Palestinian militants stormed into Israel on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people – mostly civilians – and kidnapping 250 others.

Since then, Israeli bombings and ground offensives have killed more than 43,000 people in Gaza, according to Palestinian health officials.

Officials do not distinguish between civilians and combatants, but say more than half of those killed were women and children.