Lebanese President Joseph Aoun received a call from Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Wednesday to discuss the situation in the Middle East, according to the Lebanese president’s office.
Both sides “discussed the current situation in the region in light of recent developments and agreed on the necessity of supporting diplomatic solutions as the best means to put an end to the conflicts in the region,” the Lebanese presidency said in a statement about the call.
The Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group has been waging war with Israel in the southern part of Lebanon for months, with the official Lebanese government attempting to cool the conflict down with ceasefire agreements. Those have all been dismissed and ignored by Hezbollah.
Meanwhile, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh arrived in Lebanon for talks with several groups. He was greeted by Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, an ally of Hezbollah , and other Hezbollah representatives, according to the official Iranian news outlet IRNA.
The meeting comes amid an increase in attacks by another Iran-backed proxy group, the Yemen-based Houthis.
“During his visit, Khatibzadeh is scheduled to hold a series of meetings with senior Lebanese officials and prominent figures to discuss bilateral relations and explore opportunities to broaden cooperation between the two countries,” according to IRNA.
Hezbollah is proxy ofIrfan and Lebanon wants it disarmed peacefully
CBS
