Beirut accuses Iran of using Lebanon as ‘bargaining chip’ in negotiations with US

3 min readJun 6, 2026 02:47 PM IST

In this photo released by the Lebanese Presidency press office, Lebanon President Joseph Aoun, left, meets with Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, Thursday, June 4, 2026. (AP)

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun accused Iran of using Lebanon as a bargaining tool in its negotiations with the United States. In an interview with CNN‘s Christiane Amanpour, Aoun said Lebanon was determined to stay out of the war and stressed that the country’s people were weary of recurring cycles of violence. “We are fed up and we want to live in peace,” Aoun said. “The Lebanese people deserve to live in peace and dignity. They should not have to see their homes destroyed every five to 10 years.”

The remarks come as conflict continues between Hezbollah and Israel. Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Shi’ite militant group founded in 1982, entered the conflict more than three months ago in support of Tehran following US-Israeli strikes on Iran, triggering a new phase of hostilities along the Lebanese-Israeli border.

Aoun, a former army commander and Lebanon’s first president since the latest escalation began, has repeatedly called for Hezbollah’s peaceful disarmament. Earlier in the conflict, he also advocated direct talks with Israel, a position that put him at odds with the group.

He also accused Iran of exploiting Lebanon for its own strategic interests. “They are using Lebanon as a bargaining chip in their negotiations with the United States. It’s unacceptable,” Aoun said, according to excerpts of the interview published by CNN.

Iran has reportedly linked a ceasefire in Lebanon to any broader agreement with Washington aimed at ending the regional conflict that erupted after the February 28 US-Israeli attack on Tehran.

However, on Thursday, Hezbollah rejected a ceasefire proposal discussed by Lebanese and Israeli officials during US-mediated talks in Washington. The proposal called for the group to halt attacks on Israel and withdraw its fighters from southern Lebanon.

The same day, Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem said direct Lebanon-Israel negotiations had been rejected by the Lebanese people.

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According to Lebanese authorities, Israeli strikes since March have killed thousands and forced around 1.2 million people to flee their homes. Israeli forces continue to maintain a presence in parts of southern Lebanon.

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