President Joseph Aoun, speaking with the head of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc, Mohammad Raad, in Baabda, on Feb. 4, 2026. (Credit: lbpresidency/X)
The U.S.-Iran deal has given new momentum to behind-the-scenes efforts to rebuild bridges, severed for months, between President Joseph Aoun and the Hezbollah-Amal alliance.The rift between the two sides widened in the wake of the war, over issues, including the state’s monopoly on arms and direct negotiations with Israel, to which the government remains committed, much to the chagrin of the militia.But now that the Lebanese state reopened channels of communication with Tehran, a climate conducive to reconciliation is taking hold, under the watchful eye of regional neighbors. Dive deeper After US-Iran agreement, regional efforts for 'the day after' in Lebanon L’Orient-Le Jour learned that a meeting took place a few days ago between Andre Rahal, Aoun’s brother-in-law and close advisor, and Ahmad Mehanna, a senior Hezbollah official,...
The U.S.-Iran deal has given new momentum to behind-the-scenes efforts to rebuild bridges, severed for months, between President Joseph Aoun and the Hezbollah-Amal alliance.The rift between the two sides widened in the wake of the war, over issues, including the state’s monopoly on arms and direct negotiations with Israel, to which the government remains committed, much to the chagrin of the militia.But now that the Lebanese state reopened channels of communication with Tehran, a climate conducive to reconciliation is taking hold, under the watchful eye of regional neighbors. Dive deeper After US-Iran agreement, regional efforts for 'the day after' in Lebanon L’Orient-Le Jour learned that a meeting took place a few days ago between Andre Rahal, Aoun’s brother-in-law and close advisor, and Ahmad Mehanna, a senior Hezbollah...
