Berri has done enough, Salam says, on leaving Ain al-Tineh

BEIRUT — Prime Minister Nawaf Salam met with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri on Tuesday, leaving Ain al-Tineh with only a few words to share with the press: "Berri did enough yesterday," Salam said, adding that the atmosphere "was good."

U.S. special envoy Tom Barrack arrived in Beirut yesterday to receive Lebanon's official response to an American proposal as to how the country should go about disarming Hezbollah and revitalizing its economy.

The meetings with the U.S. envoy concluded on an optimistic note on Monday evening. However, south of Beirut, Israeli drone strikes killed two people and injured several others, despite an apparent cease-fire in effect since November 2024.

Berri, a steadfast ally of Hezbollah, continued to stand by the group, however, he had stated in recent days, echoing statements by Salam and President Joseph Aoun, that "the era of weapons outside state control is over," agreeing "not to allow any party to lead Lebanon toward destruction."

Ahead of Barrack's arrival, Berri reportedly told Hezbollah that he and his fellow leaders would not wait for the party if it failed to draw up its response in time. "If you do not respond, we will move forward without you," local media reports cited him as saying.

Barrack expressed significant optimism after meeting with Aoun, Salam, Berri and Foreign Minister Joe Rajji. "What the government gave us was something spectacular in a very short period of time," Barrack said. "I'm unbelievably satisfied with the response."

Barrack also clarified that Lebanon was not bound by "any timetable" concerning Hezbollah's disarmament, in a softening of tone that contrasted with increasing international pressure in recent months. Washington was "only trying to help," he said.

Still, he urged Lebanon not to "miss the boat" in a rapidly changing Middle East.

Berri described his meeting with Barrack as "good and constructive," adding that it was marked by an understanding of the need to preserve Lebanon's interests, sovereignty, the concerns of all Lebanese, as well as Hezbollah's demands.