Lebanon24 September, 20263 min read
Nawaf Salam Tells Masoud Pezeshkian Lebanon Won’t Be Arena For Regional Wars
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Salam told Pezeshkian Lebanon cannot be arena for regional wars. Salam urged Iran to appoint a new ambassador to Beirut.
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Salam rejects regional arena
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam told Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian that Lebanon does not want to become an arena for regional wars, and Salam’s office said Lebanon has paid a heavy price in terms of its security, stability and economy. Salam met Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, and Salam urged a “building a sound state-to-state relationship based on mutual respect for each country’s sovereignty and independence, non-interference in each other’s affairs and shared interests”. Salam said Lebanon’s priority was “Israel to fully withdraw from Lebanese territory and cease its attacks, and for Lebanon to move forward with extending the authority of the Lebanese state over all of its territory”.
Salam also said Lebanon needed to ensure “that weapons are held exclusively by the state”, in a jab at Hezbollah, which has so far refused to lay down its arms. President Joseph Aoun said in an interview with AFP that bilateral relations “must be based on mutual respect and non-interference”.
Beirut presses for new ties
Lebanon asked Iran to nominate a new ambassador to Beirut and called for opening a new “state-to-state” chapter in bilateral relations, nearly six months after Lebanon declared Tehran’s former envoy persona non grata. Salam made the remarks during a meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, and Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi and Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi also attended. Lebanon’s Foreign Ministry had previously declared Iranian Ambassador Mohammad Reza Sheibani persona non grata, saying the decision was prompted by “Iran’s violation of diplomatic norms and established procedures between the two countries,” without providing further details.
Salam told Pezeshkian that Lebanon seeks to “open a new page in relations with Iran and build a sound state-to-state relationship based on respect for each country’s sovereignty and independence, non-interference in each other’s affairs and shared interests”. Salam also linked the diplomatic reset to security demands, saying Lebanon’s priority was the “full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory and an end to its attacks,” alongside extending state authority across the entire country and ensuring that weapons remain exclusively under state control.
War context and stakes
The meeting came as the latest confrontation between Israel and Iran had repercussions in Lebanon, with Hezbollah attacking Israel in support of Iran on March 2 and Israel responding with major airstrikes and a ground invasion that killed more than 4,300 people. Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said Lebanon does not want to become a venue for the exchange of messages between others, while Salam’s office framed the push as a bid to avoid Lebanon being pulled into regional conflict. The Anadolu Ajansı report said Israel continued attacks on Lebanon despite a US-sponsored Framework Agreement on June 26 providing for a gradual Israeli withdrawal in exchange for deployment of the Lebanese army and the disarmament of Hezbollah.
The National reported that Salam encouraged Iran to nominate a new ambassador to Lebanon, describing the move as addressing a sore point after Iran’s chosen envoy Mohammad Reza Sheibani had his approval withdrawn and was declared unwelcome in Lebanon after fighting broke out in March. Lebanon’s Health Ministry figures cited by Anadolu Ajansı said that since the latest war began on March 2, 2025, 4,386 people have been killed and more than 12,000 injured, including hundreds of women and children.