Lebanese officials slammed on Saturday Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi for criticizing President Joseph Aoun’s comments against Tehran and its meddling in his country. Aoun, in an interview broadcast Friday by CNN, called on Iran to stop "interfering" in Lebanon's affairs following the collapse of a new truce announced by Washington between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement. "This is not your country. It is our country, our responsibility, and your role is not to interfere in our affairs," Aoun said. "It is our people who are being killed, and our homes that are being destroyed." Araghchi on Saturday urged Aoun to save Lebanon from its "real foe," Israel. "Based on Mr. Aoun's comments, one would think it's Iran that has occupied one-fifth of Lebanon, displaced one-quarter of its population and is bombing the country on a daily basis," Araghchi wrote on X. "If Lebanon were a bargaining chip for Iran, we would have reached an agreement long ago. Save Lebanon from your real foe, Mr. President," he added. Aoun has faced fierce opposition from Hezbollah since the launch of direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel that are the first in decades between the countries that have no diplomatic ties. Lebanese officials were quick to condemn Araghchi and throw their backing behind Aoun and the negotiations. Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said: "Aoun’s stances, which reject Iran’s continued use of Lebanon as a bargaining chip in its negotiations with the US so that it can remain an open arena for conflict, underscore the president’s clear will to end this flawed situation that has caused turmoil in Lebanon for decades." In a statement, he added that Aoun’s stance reflects the position of the majority of the Lebanese people who want the establishment of a capable state. "His stance is directed primarily at the two parties who are treating Lebanon as an open arena for their own agendas against the will of the Lebanese people: Iran and Hezbollah," he stressed. "The Lebanese and Iranian people never had any problems between them, but the Iranian regime, since the revolution, has sought to use Lebanon as a card in its regional agenda. So, it armed a military proxy for it on Lebanese soil that operates outside the constitution, laws and national will." "This has caused grave harm to Lebanon, its people, economy and stability and kept the country an open ground for conflicts and war," Geagea remarked. On Hezbollah’s criticism against Aoun, he noted that the president’s statements again "highlight that the existence of weapons outside state control is a flagrant violation of the constitution and law." "His latest stance is decisive in saying that this deadly situation in Lebanon can no longer continue," he said. "Therefore, Iran must once and for all cease interfering in Lebanon’s affairs and respect its sovereignty and independent decision-making. Hezbollah must also immediately comply with the decision of the state and hand over its weapons, end its armed project and dismantle its military and security wings," he demanded. "Should Iran refuse to comply, then the Lebanese government must execute its own orders, starting with physically removing the Iranian ambassador for Lebanon," who has continued to defy his expulsion order from months ago. This must culminate in the state imposing monopoly over arms, Geagea stressed. Head of the Kataeb party MP Sami Gemayel slammed Iranian officials, demanding that they "take their hands off Lebanon. Lebanon is not an Iranian province." "Our president does not ask for permission to defend our sovereignty," he added in a post on X. "The period of hegemony is over. Our decisions are made in Beirut, not Tehran," he declared.
