Lebanon accuses Iran of using it as bargaining chip in US talks

Lebanon's president has accused Iran of using his country as leverage in negotiations with the United States, in comments made as fighting between Hezbollah and Israel continues. Joseph Aoun said Lebanon wants to stay out of the war and called on the country's people to be allowed to live in peace and dignity. He said repeated cycles of violence had left many Lebanese weary of destruction.

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Aoun made the remarks in an interview, according to excerpts published on Monday, and said Iran was treating Lebanon as a bargaining tool. He said: "They are using Lebanon as a bargaining chip in their negotiations with the United States. It's unacceptable." The comments were made against the backdrop of continuing hostilities along the Lebanese-Israeli border.

Hezbollah, the Iran-backed armed group founded in 1982, entered the conflict more than three months ago in support of Tehran after US-Israeli strikes on Iran. The Lebanese president has also repeatedly called for Hezbollah's peaceful disarmament. Earlier in the conflict, he advocated direct talks with Israel, a position that has put him at odds with the group.

On Thursday, Hezbollah rejected a ceasefire proposal discussed by Lebanese and Israeli officials during US-mediated talks in Washington. The proposal called for the group to halt attacks on Israel and withdraw its fighters from southern Lebanon. The dispute matters because it sits at the intersection of Lebanon's internal political balance and a wider regional confrontation.

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Lebanon has long been affected by the military role of Hezbollah, which operates as both a political movement and an armed force with close ties to Iran. Any ceasefire arrangement in Lebanon is now being linked to broader negotiations involving Washington and Tehran, raising the stakes for Lebanese officials seeking to avoid further escalation. The latest comments also come after months of heavy disruption inside Lebanon.

According to Lebanese authorities, Israeli strikes since March have killed thousands and forced around 1.2 million people to flee their homes. Israeli forces continue to maintain a presence in parts of southern Lebanon, adding to pressure on the border area and complicating efforts to secure a lasting truce. Aoun's remarks underline the extent to which Lebanon's leadership is trying to separate the country's interests from the wider conflict.

What remains unclear is whether the ceasefire discussions will produce any change in the fighting or in Hezbollah's position. It is also not clear how far Iran is prepared to link Lebanon to its talks with the United States, or whether Lebanese officials can secure a deal that reduces cross-border attacks. For now, the conflict continues to shape Lebanon's security, politics and humanitarian situation, while the government presses for a settlement that keeps the country out of the war.

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