Lebanese Leaders Criticize Iran, Declaring Lebanon Is Not a 'Bargaining Chip'

Lebanon's top leaders have sharply criticized Iran, accusing Tehran of rejecting the latest ceasefire deal and using their country as a pawn in negotiations with Washington. President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam voiced strong disapproval following Israeli military strikes in southern Lebanon that killed nine people and prompted evacuation warnings for several villages.

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It’s not your job to interfere in our country. I reject the statement totally because our people are being killed, our houses are being destroyed.

President Aoun directly addressed Iran's Revolutionary Guard statement, asserting, "It’s not your job to interfere in our country. I reject the statement totally because our people are being killed, our houses are being destroyed." He told CNN that Iran is "using Lebanon as a bargaining chip in their negotiations with the United States."

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using Lebanon as a bargaining chip in their negotiations with the United States.

Prime Minister Salam echoed these sentiments, urging the Lebanese people to prioritize national interests. He stated that Lebanon "should not remain a battlefield for others" and called on Iran to cease treating southern Lebanon and its residents as "a bargaining chip to improve the conditions of its negotiations."

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should not remain a battlefield for others.

The Lebanese leaders' remarks came as the Israeli military conducted strikes across southern Lebanon, affecting multiple locations and displacing thousands. The state news agency reported the casualties resulting from these attacks, underscoring the ongoing conflict and its impact on civilians.

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should not remain a battlefield for others. Iran should stop dealing with southern Lebanon and its people as 'a bargaining chip to improve the conditions of its negotiations.'