Lebanon’s President Pushes Back at Iran: "They Will Not Tell Us What to Do"

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun spoke today (Thursday) with the Reuters news agency and addressed Iran and its demand to tie the war in the Gulf to Hezbollah’s war against Israel in Lebanon. Aoun emphasized: "Lebanon’s future is in the hands of the Lebanese, not Iran and not Israel."

Aoun framed the negotiations as a struggle over Lebanon’s sovereignty and said: "Cooperation with Iran is one thing, but we do not accept the Iranians dictating to us. We are a sovereign state. Iran cannot speak on our behalf. We do not accept Lebanon becoming an arena for the wars of other peoples. I am determined to continue on the diplomatic path. There is no military solution. We have no choice but to negotiate in order to end this conflict, and the Israelis do not either."

As previously reported, Hezbollah publicly rejected the Lebanese government’s direct talks with Israel this week, calling them "shameless." Aoun said the Shiite organization, which is backed by Iran, has not presented his government with "its own roadmap for ending the crisis."

According to Aoun, "If Hezbollah chooses to remain on a war footing, the Shiite group will harm the community it claims to protect and prolong the conflict that broke out on March 2 alongside Iran’s war, creating tensions and raising fears of a sectarian and political rupture in Lebanon."