Lebanese President Joseph Aoun launched a scathing attack on the Iranian regime and the Revolutionary Guards, accusing them of using his country as a bargaining chip in their confrontation with the United States and Israel. In an exclusive interview with CNN, Aoun made it clear that the Lebanese people are “seven battles away” from the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, and demanded that Tehran stop interfering in Lebanon’s internal affairs. Aoun does not rule out a future historic meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after an agreement is reached to end the war.
Aoun addressed the tense situation in the region in an interview with CNN from the presidential palace in Beirut Friday, against the backdrop of the ceasefire agreement announced last Wednesday between Israel and Lebanon, when he strongly rejected the demands of the Revolutionary Guards in Iran to link Israel’s withdrawal to a future deal with US President Donald Trump.
President Joseph Aoun’s harshest criticism was directed directly at the political and military leadership in Tehran. Aoun accused Iran of exploiting a divided and bloody Lebanon to advance its own geopolitical interests, without considering the heavy price paid by Lebanese citizens on the ground.
Aoun sent a strong message directly to the Revolutionary Guards: “You are not trying to help us. The people of Lebanon are the ones paying the price for your interests, and our interests do not coincide with your interests. This is not your country, this is our country. Iran is using Lebanon as a bargaining chip in its negotiations with the United States, and this is something that is completely unacceptable to us. I completely reject the Revolutionary Guards’ statement from Wednesday, which demanded Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon as part of a broader ceasefire agreement between Washington and Tehran.”
The current ceasefire agreement was reached after enormous diplomatic efforts, but its full implementation on the ground is still in doubt due to the refusal of Hezbollah, defined in Lebanon as a “State within a state,” to accept its terms. The organization, which was not an official part of the agreement, rejected the outline on the grounds that it did not guarantee a full Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon.
The Lebanese president addressed the complexity of the agreement and the future of the region: “It was a very tough and complex negotiation until we managed to reach a significant breakthrough. The current agreement could be a path forward towards a just and sustainable peace, but it remains conditional on a complete cessation of Hezbollah fire and a complete withdrawal of all the organization’s operatives from southern Lebanon. The Lebanese public is simply fed up with this war between Israel and Hezbollah.”
The current round of the conflict began after Hezbollah launched rockets at Israeli cities in so-called retaliation for a joint US-Israeli attack on Iran that eliminated Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and his top military command. In just three months of Israeli military operations, more than 3,500 people were killed in Lebanon, a fifth of the population was displaced, and Israel established a security zone while occupying large areas of the country’s south. In this period, 28 Israeli soldiers were killed.
The former military commander devoted a significant portion of the interview to a direct appeal to Israeli citizens and decision-makers in Jerusalem, claiming that military solutions alone will never be able to ensure the security of the residents of the northern part of the State of Israel: “I ask the citizens of Israel – do you really want to live in eternal war? The state of hostility between Israel and Lebanon must end forever.
“Both nations have been at war since 1948, and here is a huge opportunity where both must choose: war or diplomacy. We are ready, interested, and committed to negotiations to end the war. If you are not committed to this, you will never live in peace, safety, and security. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, together with Hezbollah, are waging a futile war that will never lead to the desired outcome for them.”
Regarding the meeting with Netanyahu, Aon said: “I do not rule out a future official meeting with Netanyahu, which would be the first meeting in history between the leaders of the two countries, but such a meeting will not occur before we reach an official and full agreement to end the war.”
As you may recall, a few weeks ago, amid American efforts led by Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to promote talks and a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, Aoun rejected offers for a phone call or direct meeting with Netanyahu. He claimed that the timing was not appropriate as long as there was no full ceasefire, Israeli withdrawal, and an end to military operations, as well as fearing a Hezbollah response that would undermine the stability of his rule.