Lebanon to summon Iran envoy for interfering in its affairs

Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati has instructed the Foreign Minister to summon the Iranian Chargé d'Affaires in Beirut following reports that Tehran expressed readiness to negotiate over a UN resolution related to Lebanon.

In an interview with Le Figaro on Thursday, Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf indicated Iran's openness to talks with France regarding UN Resolution 1701, which focuses on reducing tensions with Israel after the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah conflict.

Mikati asserted that the responsibility for negotiating the implementation of UN Resolution 1701 rests solely with the Lebanese state.

"We are surprised by this position, which constitutes a blatant interference in Lebanese affairs and an attempt to establish a rejected guardianship over Lebanon," a government statement quoted Mikati as saying.

Later, the Iranian news agency ISNA, quoting an unnamed source close to Ghalibaf, denied the statements attributed to him. The source said that Ghalibaf had emphasized: “Whatever the Lebanese government and resistance agree upon regarding a ceasefire, Iran will also endorse.”

Adopted in 2006, Resolution 1701 mandates that the southern border region of Lebanon remain free from the presence of weapons or military forces, except for those under the authority of the Lebanese state.

However, Israel contends that both the Lebanese army and UN peacekeeping mission known as UNIFIL have failed to adequately secure the region. Hezbollah has been engaged in a series of cross-border exchanges with Israel along the southern Lebanese frontier for nearly a year, beginning on October 8, when it initiated attacks in support of Hamas during Israel's military campaign in Gaza. In response, Israel launched a ground operation in Lebanon on October 1, following nearly a year of escalating hostilities.

Mikati has previously indicated his intention to take matters into his own hands regarding Hezbollah and Iran. Last year, he repeatedly highlighted his efforts to keep Lebanon out of the conflict, while acknowledging the limits of his government's authority. In a statement made in October 2023, he openly admitted, "The decision regarding war and peace is not in my hands or in the hands of the government."

Mikati’s remarks sparked widespread outrage in Lebanon, highlighting criticism of the government’s diminishing control.

In an interview with Al Jadeed last year, Mikati reaffirmed Lebanon's commitment to Resolution 1701, stressing his efforts to prevent the country from being dragged into a war with Israel amid the Gaza escalation.

He stated: "I am fully fulfilling my duty in this regard, and various countries are cooperating to establish stability and peace in Lebanon. My efforts are focused on this goal. I had a week full of communications with numerous heads of state and world leaders, and there was a shared understanding that we, as a government, are working with all relevant parties to keep Lebanon out of any war."