Iranian president says country wants deal with US made before midterms

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Thursday at the UN General Assembly in New York, expressing his country's desire to avoid being an arena for regional conflicts. Salam criticized Iran for inflaming tensions and using Lebanon as a bargaining chip in talks with the US. He emphasized that Lebanon has suffered significant losses in security, stability, and economy due to the ongoing Middle East war, which began with Israeli-US strikes on Iran and was further exacerbated by Hezbollah's attack on Israel on March 2. Israel responded with major airstrikes and a ground invasion, resulting in over 4,300 casualties.

The conflict has been ongoing since 2023-2024, with Hezbollah and Israel clashing over Hamas in the Gaza Strip. While a framework agreement was reached between Lebanon and Israel in June, Israel has continued its attacks on Lebanon. Salam called for Israel to fully withdraw from Lebanese territory and cease its attacks, while also requesting Lebanon to extend its authority over all its territory.

He stressed the importance of ensuring that weapons are held exclusively by the state, a demand aimed at Hezbollah, which has refused to disarm. Salam and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun have previously stressed the need for bilateral relations to be based on mutual respect and non-interference.