In a rare and exclusive interview at the presidential palace in Beirut, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun delivered a searing rebuke to Iran on Friday, accusing it of exploiting his war-torn nation as a bargaining chip in its conflict with the United States and Israel. He demanded that Tehran stop interfering in Lebanese affairs.
Speaking to CNN's Christiane Amanpour, President Aoun stated that the Lebanese people are "fed up" with the war between Israel and Hezbollah, the powerful Iran-backed militant group and political force often described as a state within a state in Lebanon. The president's remarks come as a fragile ceasefire with Israel hangs in the balance, with Lebanon once again entangled in one of the most serious regional conflicts between Iran and Israel.
Aoun's Direct Address to Iran
Addressing Iran directly, Aoun said, "You are not trying to help us … the people of Lebanon are paying the price … for the sake of your own interest." He added, "Our interests … do not coincide with your interests." The president also turned his criticism on the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Iran's elite military force, asserting, "It's not your country, it's our country."
Aoun rejected a Wednesday statement by the Revolutionary Guards demanding Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon as part of a US-Iranian ceasefire agreement. "They are using Lebanon as a bargaining chip in their negotiation with the US," he said. "It's unacceptable."
Ceasefire Agreement and Hezbollah's Rejection
Israel and Lebanon reached an agreement on Wednesday to implement a ceasefire, but it remains contingent on a complete cessation of Hezbollah fire and the full withdrawal of all Hezbollah operatives from southern Lebanon. "It was a tough negotiation until we had a major breakthrough," Aoun said, adding that the agreement could be a path forward to a "just and lasting peace." Hezbollah, which was not part of the agreement, rejected the deal on Wednesday, claiming it does not guarantee an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon.
Criticism of Hezbollah Leader
President Aoun also criticized Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem, saying he does not represent the Lebanese people. This rare public criticism came a day after Qassem rejected the shaky ceasefire agreement. Directly addressing Qassem, Aoun said, "The Lebanese people are not your people." In a statement on Thursday, Qassem slammed the Lebanon-Israel talks as a "surrender," asserting that the resulting truce was rejected in its "entirety by broad segments of the Lebanese people."
Aoun said he has spoken to Lebanese people across different religious sects, including Shiites, who have told him they are "fed up" with Hezbollah's war with Israel. "They deserve not seeing their homes destroyed every five to 10 years," Aoun said, adding that the Lebanese people are counting on him to end the war.
Lebanon's Struggle with Hezbollah
Weakened by decades of foreign meddling, sectarian strife, and regional wars, Lebanon under Aoun has pledged to tackle the daunting task of disarming Hezbollah in an effort to dismantle the group's immense domestic influence and halt Israel's military advances. Yet, Aoun and the Lebanese military have so far failed to disarm Tehran's powerful proxy. The group was formed in the 1980s with Iran's backing and training to fight against Israeli presence in southern Lebanon, but has since grown into a formidable armed group with significant political power and domestic support.
Aoun showed pictures of Lebanese civilians killed during the war, saying entire families have been "wiped out" from Israeli attacks. "They are Lebanese people. They are not Naim Qassem's people," he concluded.
