From heated statements to friendly smiles: Araghchi and Rajji meet in Beirut
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who arrived Thursday in Beirut at a crucial time, met Friday with President Joseph Aoun and his counterpart Youssef Rajji.
Araghchi's visit comes as Lebanon's army announced it had completed the first phase of its plan to disarm Hezbollah south of the Litani river.
He said the "primary objective" of his two-day trip was to consult with officials about the "serious challenges and threats" facing the region "by the Zionist regime", referring to Israel.
He called Rajji "my brother and counterpart", in an apparent attempt to extend an olive branch to Rajji who had in December refused Araghchi's invitation to visit Iran, and said he'd rather meet with him in a "neutral" third country.
In response Rajji called Araghchi a "friend" despite differences in viewpoints.
Rajji and Araghchi agreed during the meeting that protecting Lebanon is the state's responsibility, with Rajji urging Araghchi to only support the state and calling on Iranian officials to stop voicing statements that show a flagrant interference in Lebanon's domestic affairs.
The Lebanese foreign minister asked his counterpart if Iran would accept an illegal armed organization in its territories, while Araghchi said that Iran supports Hezbollah as a resistance but does not interfere in its decisions.
Rajji called on Iran to engage in talks with Lebanon to find "a new approach to the issue of Hezbollah's weapons, drawing on Iran's relationship with the party, so that these weapons do not become a pretext for weakening Lebanon".
Aoun who later met Araghchi said Lebanon looks forward to economic cooperation with Iran.
After arriving on Thursday, Araghchi visited the mausoleum of former Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in a massive Israeli air strike on south Beirut in September 2024.
Iran has long wielded substantial influence in Lebanon by funding and arming Hezbollah, but as the balance of power shifted since the recent conflict, officials have been more critical towards Tehran.
Last August, Lebanese leaders firmly rejected any efforts at foreign interference during a visit by Iran's security chief Ali Larijani, with the prime minister saying Beirut would "tolerate neither tutelage nor diktat" after Tehran voiced opposition to plans to disarm Hezbollah.
Araghchi also meet with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and will meet with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam in Beirut.
After meeting Berri, the Iranian minister said his country wishes to open a new page of relations with Lebanon across various fields, in a way that serves the mutual interests of both countries.
Source: Naharnet
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