Praise for Iran as displaced families return to destroyed homes in Lebanon

(15 Jun 2026) RESTRICTION SUMMARY: ASSOCIATED PRESS Deir Qanoun, Lebanon - 15 June 2026 1. Various of destroyed buildings and rubble 2. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Fatima Saad, Deir Qanoun resident: "This is the flag (the Iranian flag) of pride and honor. Of course, the Lebanese flag comes first, but this flag has allowed us to hold our heads up high and keep them high." ASSOCIATED PRESS Maaroub, Lebanon - 15 June 2026 3. Various of destroyed house with Hezbollah flag hoisted on rooftop 4. Various of destruction and rubble 5. Various of Lebanese army ASSOCIATED PRESS Tebnine, Lebanon - 15 June 2026 6. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Malikah Barakat, Tebnine resident: "We lost our homes and we don't care, I lost a four-story home and seven shops, we give it all for the youth and for those who fought and those who died. The Lebanese government conspired against us publicly. We publicly would sell the Lebanese government off to Israel. And we don't stand with them." 7. Bulldozer clearing rubble 8. Various of Lebanese army 9. Rubble in destroyed building STORYLINE: Displaced Lebanese families thanked Iran for being able to return to their war-torn homes after the extension of the ceasefire agreement between the U.S. and Iran. People were seen waving Iranian flags in southern Lebanon's Deir Qanoun on Monday. "This is the flag (the Iranian flag) of pride and honor. Of course, the Lebanese flag comes first, but this flag has allowed us to hold our heads up high and keep them high," local resident Fatima Saad told The Associated Press. The United States and Iran reached an initial agreement early on Monday to open the strait of Hormuz and further extend the ceasefire in the Iran war. Details of the deal were not immediately released and Iran signaled implementation would not start until the signing, which key mediator Pakistan said would occur Friday in Switzerland. It could provide a way to end a war that killed thousands across the Middle East, including the top leaders of Iran’s theocracy, and sparked a historic energy crisis. Pakistan first announced the deal, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif saying “both sides have declared the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon.” It remains unclear whether Israel, which relies on the U.S. but has launched in wars against its enemies since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, agreed to that term. But the memorandum of understanding over the war already faced intense challenges. Israel’s continued hostilities with the Iranian-backed militia Hezbollah in Lebanon, where Israel bombed Beirut’s southern suburbs Sunday, nearly derailed the negotiations. Israel, which has insisted it be allowed a freehand to pursue Hezbollah as it occupies southern Lebanon and has extended its military operations into areas its forces haven’t been in a quarter century, did not immediately comment. Israel joined the U.S. in launching the war on Feb. 28. =========================================================== Clients are reminded to adhere to all listed restrictions and to check the terms of their licence agreements. For further assistance, please contact the AP Archive on: Tel +44(0)2074827482 Email: [email protected]. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...