On the sidelines of the Arab-Islamic summit on Gaza in Riyadh, outgoing Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati met with Iranian President Ebrahim Raissi, who said during the meeting that ‘the resistance (Hezbollah) in Lebanon is independent in its decisions and actions and does not take orders from Iran’.
His remarks were reported by Arab media, which did not specify the context. But it is easy to assume that Mr Mikati told the Iranian president of the Lebanese people’s fear of being drawn into a military conflict that does not concern them, and asked him to avoid unnecessary risks for Lebanon.
According to the same media, the Iranian president also told the Lebanese prime minister that “Hezbollah’s action in southern Lebanon is based on wisdom, reason and deterrence in the face of Israeli aggression”.
In his speech during the Arab-Islamic Summit, Mr Mikati focused on the need to establish peace for a better future. He also called for the implementation of the UN Resolution 1701.
Mikati renewed the country’s commitment to international legitimacy, particularly emphasizing UN Resolution 1701. He stressed the necessity to exert pressure on Israel, urging the implementation of all provisions outlined in the resolution and calling for an end to provocations and aggression on Lebanese soil.
Addressing the situation in southern Lebanon, Mikati attributed the current events to the escalating Israeli attacks on national sovereignty, highlighting the persistent violations of Resolution 1701. He underlined the link between the events in Gaza and the potential expansion of the conflict into southern Lebanon, emphasizing the destructive consequences such an escalation could have on the entire region.
Mikati emphasized the longstanding commitment to peace in Lebanon, rooted in a culture of truth, justice, adherence to international law and respect for decisions made by the international community. Despite this commitment to peace, the Lebanese Prime Minister conveyed the Lebanese people’s dissatisfaction with attacks on their sovereignty, national dignity and the safety of their territories, particularly when it involved harm to civilians, including children, journalists, and women.
In seeking a resolution to the Arab-Israeli conflict, Mikati pointed to the enduring viability of the “two-state solution” as the optimal path forward. He referenced the “Arab Peace Initiative” launched at the Beirut Summit of 2002, highlighting its potential to pave the way for a better future for all parties involved.
