Annexation risk in south Lebanon; stalemate in Iran: Send your questions to our co-editor-in-chief, Anthony Samrani

Dear readers,

Nearly a month after the start of the U.S-Israel war in Iran, which has led to a large-scale regional war, the situation still appears inextricable.

This week was dominated by the prospect of negotiations between Iran and the U.S., a possibility that prompted U.S. President Donald Trump to announce talks, which Iran later denied. On Thursday, Trump extended his deadline for strikes on the Iranian energy sector by 10 days, assuring that discussions with Iran — whose capital was again hit hard by Israel on Friday morning — are "going very well."

In recent days, both sides have exchanged conditions for reaching an agreement, each imposing clauses on the other that it cannot accept. "The war will end when Iran decides to end it, not when Trump decides," said an Iranian official on Wednesday.

One of Iran’s conditions would be a halt to Israeli strikes against Hezbollah, a demand that seems more like a pious wish, as in Lebanon too, the outcome appears increasingly distant.

While fighting rages in the South of the country, the Israeli advance is much faster than during the ground offensive in autumn 2024, forcing Prime Minister Nawaf Salam to alert U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres to the risk of annexation of part of the region. Internally, tensions are also increasing, with the Iranian ambassador's departure approaching despite opposition from the Amal-Hezbollah alliance.

Can Tehran and Washington still find a compromise? Could a deal in Iran potentially change the situation in Lebanon? Is the risk of southern Lebanon being annexed by Israel real?

In this context, questions are pouring in. Submit yours to our co-editor-in-chief, Anthony Samrani, in the comments of this article (if you are a subscriber) or by email at livechatolj@lorientlejour.com.

He will answer them here this Friday, March 27, at 1 p.m., Lebanon time.

See you soon!