Salim al-Bushraqi: Lebanon does not want to be a battleground for regional conflicts

One eye on Washington, the other on New York. This is how Beirut appeared, closely monitoring the highly significant summit that brought together US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, at the White House, as well as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to the UN General Assembly. These events were treated as indicators of the severe regional tensions that Lebanon is entirely exposed to.

The intersection of this observation lies in Beijing’s influence over Iran, shaping the “lifeline” of its besieged economy, and Tel Aviv’s control of the “command panel” on the Lebanon front, which fears paying the price for negotiations with fire or becoming the weakest link in any regional settlements.

While it is difficult to anticipate significant and rapid repercussions from the White House summit on the frantic race on the Iranian front—between diplomacy driven by an increasingly tightening siege and escalating tensions in a theater where Tehran, fleeing forward, signals that the arena has expanded from the Strait of Hormuz to the Bab al-Mandab—Netanyahu’s raising of the stakes against the “Islamic Republic” and its proxies does not require time to measure their field effects.

From this, Lebanon intensifies its efforts to secure the minimum “umbrella of safety” at a moment of extreme delicacy in the region and on its front. It is engaged in a dual diplomatic battle: the first against Tehran to halt its interference in Lebanon’s political file, and the second against Israel to urge it to facilitate the implementation of the trilateral framework agreement signed between the two countries and the United States. This would help the state embarrass the party and enhance the credibility of the negotiation table and its position on it.

In this context, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam’s meetings in Manhattan take place, where he is delivering Lebanon’s address to the UN General Assembly today, Friday.

On Thursday, the highlight of the Prime Minister’s agenda was his unexpected meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, attended by Foreign Ministers Youssef Raji and Abbas Araghchi, at the UN building. Lebanese media reported that the Iranian delegation requested the meeting, to which Salam agreed.

Salam assured Pezeshkian that Lebanon does not want to be a battleground for regional conflicts and called for a relationship between the two countries based on respect for sovereignty and non-interference.

He emphasized that Lebanon has paid a heavy price in terms of its security, stability, and economy, reiterating that it does not want to be a venue for regional conflicts or the exchange of messages.

He stated that “the relationship between Lebanon and Iran is historical at the level of both countries and peoples, and that Lebanon looks forward to opening a new page based on a state-to-state relationship, founded on respect for sovereignty, independence, non-interference in internal affairs, and mutual interests.”

He called on Iran to nominate a new ambassador to Lebanon, wishing it and its people “all goodness, security, stability, prosperity, and growth.”

Salam affirmed that “Lebanon’s priority is the complete Israeli withdrawal from its territories and the cessation of its aggression, alongside the extension of the Lebanese state’s authority over all its lands and the monopoly of arms by the state.”

The meeting gained importance as it was the first at this level between Lebanese and Iranian officials since Beirut, through President Joseph Aoun, called on Tehran to stop using Lebanon as a bargaining chip in its negotiations with the United States, and the Lebanese government reiterated its commitment to the decision to dismantle Hezbollah’s arsenal, albeit without a timeline practically linked to the “experimental zones” framework, according to the framework agreement, namely the gradual Israeli withdrawal from the south in exchange for the parallel withdrawal of Hezbollah’s weapons.

Furthermore, the core of Lebanon’s declaration reaffirming its commitment to restoring the state’s exclusive authority over war and peace is realistically directed at Tehran, via Hezbollah, which is no longer hidden in its management of the southern front. Specifically, Hezbollah’s retreat before Israel and its acceptance of the loss of additional towns and strategic positions, such as the Ali al-Tahir heights, aligns with the imperatives of its front and the preservation of the remainder of its arsenal as a “reserve” for any future “kill or be killed” confrontation with the United States and Israel.

Salameh, who chaired the high-level meeting titled “Post-Crises,” convened at the joint invitation of Lebanon, the European Union, and the United Nations Development Programme, held a series of prominent Arab, Gulf, and international meetings. These included meetings with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, and UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation Reem Al Hashimi.

Salameh clarified that the discussions focused on “intensifying efforts to de-escalate tensions and spare Lebanon and the region from further confrontations,” “expanding economic and investment cooperation and regional integration, particularly in the fields of energy, electricity, transport, and infrastructure,” and “continuing our work in Lebanon on reform and strengthening state institutions, as well as extending state authority over its entire territory and monopolizing the authority over weapons, war, and peace.”

He stressed the importance of “preparing now for the post-UNIFIL phase and avoiding any vacuum in the south, through a formula that ensures the continuation of an international presence carrying out monitoring, reporting, and liaison tasks under the umbrella of a Security Council resolution.” He stated, “I am aware that there are circulating ideas regarding a European force, whether French, Italian, or others, but our position is clear: we want any international force in the south to operate under the umbrella of a Security Council resolution.”

This file is expected to be a central topic in the meeting between Salameh and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington, DC, where the Lebanese Prime Minister will travel after delivering his speech in New York, alongside the file of negotiations and the anticipated eighth round next month in Rome.

Following the Salameh-Rubio meeting, the prospects for direct negotiations and a verification mechanism are expected to crystallize, amid anticipation of Washington’s stance on Lebanon’s proposal for an “international presence (post-UNIFIL) under the umbrella of a Security Council resolution.”

The European Commission announced “providing financial support worth 505 million euros to Lebanon for the years 2026 and 2027, which constitutes the second part of the 1 billion euro support package announced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during her visit to Beirut in May 2024.”

The new funding will cover “three main areas and will support Lebanon in advancing key reforms, strengthening its economic recovery, enhancing security and border management, and maintaining essential services for the most vulnerable groups. It will also support Lebanon in addressing the consequences of instability, conflict, and displacement in the region.”