Britain has welcomed the election of Joseph Aoun as Lebanon's new president, saying it was looking forward to working with him to support stability in the war-battered nation.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Friday welcomed the election of his Lebanese counterpart Joseph Aoun after the country went more than two years without a head of state, saying unity will "defeat" Israel.

Kaja Kallas, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said Friday that the EU "warmly congratulates Joseph Aoun on his election as President of the Republic of Lebanon," noting that "this significant step marks a moment of hope and renewal for the Lebanese people."

"We commend the Lebanese parliamentarians for reaching a broad consensus, demonstrating responsibility. A spirit of national unity is crucial to allow the participation of all citizens, across all components of society, to overcoming the aftermath of recent conflicts, advancing reconstruction efforts, and embarking on a path of political stabilization and socio-economic recovery," Kallas said in a statement.

French President Emmanuel Macron has welcomed the "crucial election" by Lebanese lawmakers of army chief Joseph Aoun as president and said he would soon visit the country.

Macron spoke with the president hours after Aoun was announced as the leader to end a two-year vacuum in the country's top post.

The United Arab Emirates has detained the son of the late spiritual leader of the Muslim Brotherhood movement following his extradition from Lebanon, Emirati state media reported.

Abdul Rahman al-Qaradawi, who was arrested in Lebanon after crossing into the country from Syria on December 28, faces charges of "activities that aim to stir and undermine public security," the WAM state news agency reported.

U.S. President Joe Biden has welcomed the election of Joseph Aoun as Lebanon's president, saying in a statement that the army chief was the "right leader" for the war-battered country.

Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides has become the foreign head of state and first foreign dignitary to pay an official visit to Lebanon's new President Joseph Aoun.

Aoun, the former commander of the Lebanese army, was elected Thursday by the Lebanese parliament to fill a more than two-year vacuum in the presidency.

U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein on Thursday told Al-Arabiya English that electing a president is "a great day for Lebanon" and a step toward peace, security and stability, shortly after General Joseph Aoun was elected as the country’s new president.

The head of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc MP Mohammad Raad announced Thursday that Hezbollah and its ally the Amal Movement protected “national consensus” by choosing to vote for President Joseph Aoun in the second round of the presidential election session.

Iran's embassy in Beirut welcomed on Thursday the election of Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, expressing hopes for close cooperation between the two countries.

"We congratulate brotherly Lebanon for the election of General Joseph Aoun," said the embassy in a statement on X, adding that "we look forward to working together... and to cooperate in different fields in a way that serves the common interests for our countries."