Lebanon

President Aoun Stresses Sovereign Ties with Iran Based on Mutual Respect

This is Beirut 03/06 20:31 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Joseph Aoun Nawaf Salam Lebanon Iran Abbas Araghchi

During a meeting with visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Tuesday, President Joseph Aoun stressed that Lebanon seeks to strengthen formal state-to-state relations with Iran based on mutual respect and non-interference in domestic affairs – marking a departure from decades of Tehran’s exclusive backing of Hezbollah. Aoun also ...

In Search of Lebanon’s Financial and Economic Taif Agreement

Johnny Kortbawi 03/06 18:40 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Banks Central Bank of Lebanon economy finance

Lebanon’s economic crisis cannot be measured solely by the six years since its visible eruption in September 2019. Its roots extend much further back—to 1992 and the first government formed after the Taif Agreement. This period marked the beginning of Lebanon’s modern economic policies, shaped by the country’s financial establishment with ...

Aoun Urges Israeli Withdrawal Before French Parliamentary Delegation

This is Beirut 03/06 18:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Lebanon Israel Joseph Aoun France

President Joseph Aoun said on Tuesday that the deployment of the Lebanese Army in South Lebanon remains hindered by the continued Israeli occupation of five strategic border hills, the detention of Lebanese prisoners and ongoing Israeli attacks. During a meeting at Baabda Palace with a delegation from the French Parliament, attended by French ...

Three Paths for Lebanon: Hostility, Armistice or Peace

Bassam Abou Zeid 03/06 15:40 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Hezbollah Israel Palestine Lebanon PLO

Lebanon today stands at a crossroads in its relationship with Israel, facing three distinct options: to maintain a state of war and hostility, to return to the 1949 armistice agreement, or to pursue peace and normalization. The Path of Hostility If Lebanon chooses to remain in a state of active hostility, the cost will be borne heavily by its ...

VideosSummer 2025: Are Lebanon’s Beaches Ready?

Lyne Sammouri 03/06 15:25 - Reading : less than a minute

Lebanon Summer Beaches

Between entrance fees, safety, cleanliness, international visibility and precarious stability, how does summer 2025 look for Lebanon’s beaches?

Potential Mass Resignation of Tripoli's Municipal Council

This is Beirut 03/06 13:00 - Reading : less than a minute

Tripoli municipal cpuncil Lebanon Mass resignation

Following reports of the mass resignation of 11 members of Tripoli’s newly elected municipal council, the group is reportedly debating the possibility of retracting its resignation. Informed sources told This is Beirut that a meeting is currently being held at the office of North Lebanon’s Governor and that the council members may reconsider ...

Op-edAs Iran Retreats, Islamist Turkey and Qatar Surge in Lebanon

Hussain Abdul-Hussain 03/06 10:30 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Iran Lebanon Qatar United States Saudi Arabia

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, a Sunni, entered the stadium of Beirut’s Sports City to watch the classic football game between the two rival teams Nijmeh and Ansar. When the Shia supporters of Nijmeh saw Salam, they started shouting slogans in support of Hezbollah and its late chief Hassan Nasrallah. The Sunni fans of Ansar fired back, ...

Aoun Calls for Digital Leap: “Let’s Build the Digital Republic”

This is Beirut 03/06 10:15 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Joseph Aoun Lebanon Digital

President Joseph Aoun on Tuesday delivered a powerful message in favor of full-scale digital transformation of Lebanon’s public administration, framing it as a strategic tool to curb corruption and restore trust in state institutions. Speaking at the “Smart Government: Diaspora Experts for Lebanon” conference at the Phoenicia Hotel in ...

ChronicleWashington to Berri: Disarm or Face Sanctions – Aoun Wary of a Misstep

Philippe Abi-Akl 03/06 08:30 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Lebanon Arms Hezbollah Nabih Berry

Despite ongoing controversy over the issue of illegal arms in Lebanon, the state remains committed to asserting exclusive control over all weaponry – driven by the dual imperatives of rebuilding national institutions and responding to increasing Western and Arab pressure. The arms file remains one of the most complex and sensitive on the ...

Judicial Council Prepares for Major Reshuffle and Appointments

This is Beirut 02/06 21:40 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Lebanon Judiciary Appointments Transfers Justice

Now meeting in full capacity, Lebanon’s Higher Judicial Council is preparing to launch the long-awaited process of judicial transfers and appointments. “Discussions on the matter have already begun, with the Council emphasizing its commitment to objective criteria based on competence, integrity and the actual needs of the judiciary. The goal ...

Lebanese Army Removes Israeli Flag, Boosts Southern Deployment

This is Beirut 02/06 21:15 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Lebanese Army Israel South Lebanon Aita al-Shaab Golani border tension

The Lebanese Army has taken down an Israeli flag raised by the Israeli Golani regiment on Rweissat al-Hadb hill, located on the outskirts of Aita al-Shaab in the Bint Jbeil district, according to a report by the National News Agency (NNA) on Monday. The flag removal is part of a broader response by the Lebanese Army, which has stepped up its ...

SpotlightPeace vs. Normalization: Distinct Paths, Diverging Logics in ME Diplomacy

Mario Chartouni 02/06 20:05 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Middle East United Arab Emirates Bahrain Hezbollah Israel

From the peace treaties signed between Israel and certain Arab States – most notably Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994 – to the wave of diplomatic normalizations initiated in 2020 with the Abraham Accords, two concepts have consistently shaped discussions about regional diplomacy: peace agreements and normalization. Although these terms are ...