Lebanon PM Rebukes Iran Over UN Resolution Talks

Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati has issued a sharp rebuke to Iran over comments by Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who suggested Tehran's readiness to negotiate with France on the enforcement of UN Resolution 1701. This resolution, adopted in 2006, aims to maintain peace in southern Lebanon by ensuring the area is free of armed groups other than Lebanese state forces. Mikati criticized Ghalibaf's remarks as 'blatant interference' and an attempt to impose Iranian guardianship over Lebanon, asserting that such negotiations are solely the prerogative of the Lebanese government. He instructed Lebanon's Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib to summon Iran's deputy ambassador in response. Iran's influence in Lebanon is significant, primarily through its sponsorship of Hezbollah, a major player in the region's ongoing conflicts. Mikati's rebuke underscores the tension between maintaining Lebanese sovereignty and external influences from Iran.