Lebanon’s PM tells Iranian president country cannot be arena for regional wars

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian at the UN General Assembly in New York, where he urged Lebanon not to be used as a battleground for regional conflicts. Salam noted that Lebanon has suffered significant losses in security, stability, and economy due to ongoing wars and disputes. The meeting came after Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed group, attacked Israel in support of Iran, leading to a Middle East conflict that began with Israeli-US strikes on Iran and Israel's response with airstrikes and a ground invasion.

Salam called for Lebanon to build a state-to-state relationship with Iran based on respect for sovereignty and independence, non-interference in each other's affairs, and shared interests. He also demanded Israel's full withdrawal from Lebanese territory and the cessation of attacks, while demanding that Lebanon take full control over all its territory.

Salam criticized Hezbollah's refusal to lay down its arms, stating that weapons should be held exclusively by the state.