Araghchi in Beirut: We hope to open a new chapter in relations with Lebanon, based on mutual respect

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Beirut on Tuesday morning. He is scheduled to meet with President Joseph Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berry and his Lebanese counterpart Joe Rajji.

"We have always supported Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity at all stages and continue to do so under the current difficult circumstances. We hope to open a new page in relations with Lebanon based on mutual respect, and we do not interfere in its internal affairs," he said upon his arrival at Beirut's airport, according to statements reported by the National News Agency (NNA).

"My visit is part of my regional tour, after my stop in Cairo, and I will meet with Lebanese officials. Our relations with Lebanon are historical and deep, and we are determined to develop them," he added, specifying that Iran's foreign policy prioritizes neighboring countries and Western Asian countries.

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According to a diplomatic source cited by the Kuwaiti newspaper al-Anba' and reported by the ElNashra site, the Iranian minister's talks in Beirut have a dual nature: they aim "to explore the extent of Lebanon's official will to contain any possible regional explosion, and to confirm the diplomatic presence of Iran as a key player in the region."

President Joseph Aoun stated last February to an official Iranian delegation, which came to Beirut for the funeral of former Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, that Lebanon no longer wanted "the wars of others on its soil." Members of this delegation included Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammed-Bagher Ghalibaf. The president clarified a desire for "the best relations with Tehran, in the interest of both countries."

Hezbollah, supported and funded by Tehran, has been significantly weakened by the recent conflict with Israel, lasting more than a year and which included two months of open war. Hassan Nasrallah was killed in September 2024 by an Israeli strike.