The President of the Lebanese Parliament, Nabih Berri. (Credit: Hassan Ibrahim/Parliament's Flickr account)
In an interview with Al-Arabiya on Sunday, Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri confirmed that U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein will visit Lebanon on Monday, describing it as a final opportunity for the United States to achieve a diplomatic resolution to the ongoing conflict.
Berri expressed his refusal to amend UN Resolution 1701, stating, "I have a plan I am working on to save Lebanon, and there is American desire for a ceasefire before the elections." He denied claims that "Iran is obstructing" this plan.
Highlighting the unprecedented challenges facing Prime Minister Nagib Mikati's government, Berri explained that electing Army Commander Joseph Aoun—seen as the international community's preferred candidate—as president would require a constitutional amendment and the approval of over 86 representatives. He emphasized that he had "never spoken about electing a Lebanese president before a cease-fire."
Finally, Berri remarked that the light at the end of the tunnel for the region is the "Saudi-Iranian rapprochement" that began in March 2023.
