Iran backs any decision taken by Lebanon in talks to secure a ceasefire with Israel, a senior Iranian official has said, signalling Tehran wants to see an end to a conflict that has dealt heavy blows to its Lebanese ally Hezbollah.

Two senior Lebanese political sources told Reuters the US ambassador to Lebanon had presented a draft ceasefire proposal to Lebanon’s parliament speaker Nabih Berri on Thursday. Berri is endorsed by Hezbollah to negotiate and met the senior Iranian official Ali Larijani on Friday.

Asked at a news conference whether he had come to Beirut to undermine the US truce plan, Larijani said: “We are not looking to sabotage anything. We are after a solution to the problems.

“We support, in all circumstances, the Lebanese government. Those who are disrupting are [Israel’s PM Benjamin] Netanyahu and his people.”

On Thursday, Eli Cohen, Israel’s energy minister and a member of its security cabinet, told Reuters prospects for a ceasefire were the most promising since the conflict began.