Lebanese President Joseph Aoun says Lebanon’s negotiations with Israel conducted in Washington are independent of the US-Iran deal. In a statement relayed by multiple outlets, Aoun says Lebanon is receiving assurances and insists that its “path in the negotiations” is not tied to the broader US-Iran negotiations. He also says Lebanon supports a ceasefire and notes that any country that helps Lebanon, including Iran, can do so, while stressing that interference in Lebanese affairs is not permitted.
Aoun adds that Lebanon’s state is sovereign in its decision-making and that it is the one conducting the negotiations, rather than others negotiating on Lebanon’s behalf. The comments come as Lebanon and Israel hold direct talks in Washington that began in April. The talks focus on ending hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah and on separating that conflict from the wider regional war.
Several reports also point to the context of a US-Iran agreement announced earlier, which Iran and Pakistan’s mediation say includes Lebanon, while Aoun frames Lebanon’s role and negotiation track as separate.
