Overview
- Foreign Minister Youssef Raji declined a Tehran visit for now, citing unspecified current conditions, and said this was not a rejection of dialogue.
- Raji proposed meeting Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi in a mutually agreed neutral third country following Araqchi’s invitation last week.
- He said Lebanon is ready for a new phase in relations only if ties rest on mutual respect, full recognition of independence and sovereignty, and non-interference in internal affairs.
- Raji emphasized that only the Lebanese state may hold weapons, a pointed stance as Hezbollah faces pressure to place arms under government control after last year’s Israeli strikes and a U.S.-brokered ceasefire.
- He conveyed that Araqchi is welcome to visit Lebanon as Tehran signals interest in a reset, including earlier outreach by senior Iranian officials.