The Lebanese presidency announced that upcoming direct negotiations with Israel will be conducted through an official delegation headed by Ambassador Simon Karam, according to a statement attributed to President Joseph Aoun on X.
In remarks addressed to a delegation from the “Sovereignty Front,” President Aoun stressed that Lebanon alone will conduct the talks and that no external party would represent or substitute for the country in the process.
He said the objective of the negotiations is to halt hostilities and bring an end to what he described as the Israeli occupation of areas in southern Lebanon, while enabling the deployment of the Lebanese army up to the internationally recognized southern border.
U.S. Mediation
President Aoun also said that U.S. President Donald Trump expressed understanding and support for Lebanon’s position during a recent phone call, and reportedly intervened with Israel to help secure a ceasefire and prepare the launch of a negotiation process aimed at stabilizing the situation.
According to the statement, diplomatic contacts will continue to preserve the ceasefire and advance negotiations, which Beirut says should be accompanied by broad national backing in order to allow the Lebanese delegation to achieve its objectives.
A “choice between war and diplomacy”
The Lebanese president described the upcoming talks as separate from other regional negotiations and framed them as a strategic decision point for the country.
“Lebanon faces two options,” the statement said: either continued war with its humanitarian, social, economic, and sovereignty-related consequences, or negotiations aimed at ending the conflict and achieving long-term stability.
President Aoun added that he has chosen the path of negotiation, expressing hope that it will help “save Lebanon” and restore full state authority over its territory, particularly in the south.
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