Lebanon raises its tone against Iran: The south is not a backup front for anyone

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has directly criticized Iran and Hezbollah, calling on Tehran to stop interfering in Lebanese affairs and stop using his country as a "card to improve the terms of its negotiations with the United States," stressing that "Lebanon's sovereignty is not for compromise."

 In an  interview with CNN, he addressed Iran, saying, "This is not your country.  This is our country, you have no business interfering in Lebanon's affairs," he said, adding that Tehran is treating Lebanon as a bargaining chip in its political bazaar with Washington, which he described as "absolutely unacceptable."

The Lebanese president stressed that the south is not a "backup front for anyone", and that its continued transformation into an arena of conflict that serves foreign agendas threatens the rest of the country's stability.

Aoun sharply criticized Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem after the latter rejected the results of the negotiations with Israel, telling him, "The people of Lebanon are not your people," in a clear reference to the party's rejection of the party's monopoly on the decision of war and peace.

The Lebanese president stressed  that there is no way out of the conflict with Israel except through negotiation and diplomacy, adding: "Hezbollah must understand that there is no other way but to sit down and talk. This is the only way to save what's left."

Salam attacks Tehran

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has stepped up his rhetoric toward Iran, calling on it to stop dealing with Lebanon, especially the south, as a "card to improve the terms of its negotiations" with the United States.

During a press conference at the government headquarters in Beirut, in the presence of ambassadors and representatives of international organizations, Salam said that Lebanon succeeded in reaching an understanding for a ceasefire thanks to "the efforts of the Lebanese state, the support of our Arab brothers and the American understanding", the day after the announcement of a joint statement by Washington, Beirut and Tel Aviv on a "declaration of intent" for a ceasefire pending the approval of the parties.

The Lebanese prime minister stressed that the IRGC was "the first to reject this understanding", considering that this "reaffirms that this war is not our war, it is not being fought for us, but on our land and at the expense of our people".

Salam sent a direct message to Tehran, saying, "Have mercy on our south, and stop dealing with it and its people as a mere card to improve the terms of your negotiations," stressing that the Lebanese are "owners of a homeland that refuses to turn into a mailbox for other people's messages or a field for their wars."

Salam: "Southerners" are not a party to the Iran-Washington war

The prime minister added that "Lebanon is not a card on anyone's table," stressing that the people of the south "are once again paying the price for a decision they did not make, and a war is not their war."

Salam stressed that the decision to war and peace should not remain outside the state, and that "no war is fought in the name of the Lebanese without asking them."

In parallel with his criticism of Iran, Salam called on the international community to put pressure on Israel to stop its attacks on civilians and destruction operations in the cities and villages of the south, stressing that "the policy of collective punishment does not achieve security, but leads to more destruction and instability."

He pointed out that the residents of the south "are not a party to Iran's war with the United States, but rather citizens who have the right to live in safety and dignity on their land", pointing out that the war that has been going on for three  months has caused the displacement of about one million people, while the country is working to implement humanitarian response plans despite limited resources.

Salam concluded by calling on countries and international organizations to support Lebanon's second urgent humanitarian appeal, warning of the widening gap between humanitarian needs and available resources in light of the continuation of military operations.

Hezbollah rejects Washington agreement

On Thursday (June 4th), Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem launched a fiery stance against Washington's recent announcement, considering it a roadmap for "the annihilation of a part of the Lebanese people and the enslavement of the rest" and that any attempt to disarm the resistance means in practice "the execution of Lebanon's power and the threat to its existence."

Qassem described direct negotiations with Israel as "absurd, humiliating and shameful," stressing that the continued targeting of Lebanese villages will be matched by the targeting of Israeli settlements, saying: "The killers of the prophets will not settle on our land, and they will see our strength and strength, we will fight the invaders until we expel them from our land and stop their aggression. The resistance is based on broad popular support, and it represents an inclusive national option that cannot be overcome.

Qassem called for "an end to the farce and humiliation called direct negotiations," as he described it, stressing that Lebanon's strength lies in the rally of its people around the choice of a sovereign state, and that the enemies will inevitably submit to the will of the resistance and the people.