Key facts
- Hezbollah MP Hussein Hajj Hassan stated Iran informed the group that Lebanon is included in a reported US-Iran memorandum of understanding.
- Hassan said Iranian officials indicated the arrangement requires Israel to withdraw from Lebanese territory.
- Hezbollah stated it would not accept returning to the status quo before the March escalation.
- Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam asserted that only the Lebanese state can negotiate an end to hostilities.
- Lebanon plans to file a complaint with the UN Security Council against Israel for its attacks.
- Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned the Strait of Hormuz will not return to its pre-war operational status.
Lebanon has asserted its sovereign right to negotiate its own terms for ending hostilities, particularly in the context of ongoing conflict with Israel and broader regional diplomatic efforts. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam explicitly stated that only the Lebanese state possesses the authority to negotiate, pushing back against any external parties, notably Iran, from speaking on its behalf. This stance emerged amidst intense Israeli airstrikes and discussions surrounding a US-Iran ceasefire agreement.
During talks in Paris, Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Raji discussed the security situation in southern Lebanon and ongoing negotiations with Israel with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot. Raji expressed hope for a ceasefire and complete Israeli withdrawal resulting from Washington-led talks, while reiterating Lebanon's commitment to state control over all weapons.
Prime Minister Salam's statements followed Iranian officials' remarks that a ceasefire in Lebanon was a condition for ending the Middle East war, and that Iran's ceasefire plan included an end to Israeli attacks in Lebanon. The US, however, maintained that the ceasefire did not encompass Lebanon. In response to the US-Iran agreement, the Lebanese Foreign Ministry welcomed the de-escalation but stressed that no entity has the right to negotiate for Lebanon, viewing any such action as a violation of sovereignty.
MP Nadim Gemayel echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that Lebanon is not Iran's bargaining chip and its file should be separated from US-Iran discussions. Following the US-Iran ceasefire announcement, Israel launched significant airstrikes in Lebanon, prompting Hezbollah to claim responsibility for retaliatory rocket attacks. Lebanon intends to file a complaint with the UN Security Council against Israel for its actions. France has reaffirmed its support for Lebanon and offered to organize an international conference to bolster the Lebanese army.