Rajji meets with Cardinal Parolin at the Vatican

Foreign Minister Joe Rajji was received Tuesday by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state, during an official visit he has been conducting since Sunday to Rome and the Vatican.

The Lebanese minister’s visit comes at a time when the cease-fire in Lebanon has failed to stem fighting between Hezbollah and Israel in southern Lebanon, where the level of destruction is unprecedented. Lebanese authorities are engaged in direct negotiations with Israel in an attempt to end the war, with the next round scheduled for Thursday in Washington.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Rajji thanked the Vatican for its efforts and diplomatic contacts in support of Lebanon, particularly in working to achieve a cease-fire. He praised the Vatican’s positions in favor of Lebanon’s sovereignty and unity, as well as its humanitarian aid to the Lebanese people.

The minister emphasized the importance of ending Israeli aggression and withdrawing from occupied Lebanese territories, which he said would help stabilize the situation and create conditions conducive to a return to normal life in the affected areas.

For Cardinal Parolin, it is important to preserve pluralism and coexistence in Lebanon, protect the Christian presence in the Middle East, and promote dialogue and national unity among the Lebanese. He also stressed the importance of supporting Lebanese state institutions and enabling them to extend their authority over the entire national territory, as well as strengthening the role of the Lebanese Army in maintaining security and stability.

Both parties expressed hope that "ongoing negotiations and contacts will lead to progress and agreements likely to strengthen stability and create the necessary conditions for addressing outstanding issues, in the interest of Lebanon."

The state-run National News Agency (NNA) recalls that under the impetus of Pope Leo XIV, the Vatican is stepping up backstage diplomatic efforts to preserve the stability of Lebanese institutions and promote coexistence in the country. These efforts also seek to contain the spread of the conflict to Lebanon, especially as Christian communities have found themselves at the center of fighting in the South, the agency continues.

The current conflict began on March 2, when Hezbollah fired rockets toward Israel in a show of support for Iran following the assassination of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.