Joseph Aoun Says Lebanon Seeks Permanent Agreement After Ceasefire With Hezbollah

Lebanon’s president Joseph Aoun said Friday that his country was no longer "the theatre of wars of anyone" after the ceasefire with Hezbollah took effect, and he framed the next steps as a transition toward "a transition phase" to pursue a permanent agreement with Israel.

In parallel, Iran denied on Friday that it had accepted the transfer of its stocks of enriched uranium, with Esmaïl Baghaï, the spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, telling state television: "The enriched uranium of Iran will not be transferred anywhere."

Al Jazeera

Franceinfo reported that the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon has been in effect since 11 p.m., Paris time, and said it was expected to last ten days after Donald Trump announced it earlier in the day.

Franceinfo also said the Lebanese army asked residents in the south of the country displaced by the Israeli offensive not to return home despite the ceasefire, while the Israeli army announced it would strike Hezbollah in Lebanon after rocket fire on Israel shortly before the ceasefire took effect.

The Times of Israël added that Aoun said Lebanon was working toward a "permanent agreement" with Israel after the ceasefire took effect on Friday, while Iran’s enriched uranium dispute remained "at the heart of the disputes" between Iran and Israel.

Franceinfo said the ceasefire was announced by Donald Trump earlier in the day and went into effect on Thursday, April 16 at 11 p.m., Paris time, after a month and a half of conflict between Israel and the pro‑Iranian Lebanese movement Hezbollah.

The same live coverage said the Lebanese army asked residents in the south not to return home despite the ceasefire, and it reported that the country pledged to take concrete measures to prevent any Hezbollah attack on Israel within the framework of the ceasefire due to come into force.

Al-Jazeera Net

Franceinfo quoted Benjamin Netanyahu hailing the ceasefire as "historic peace with Beirut" while reiterating his demand for Hezbollah disarmament as a prerequisite to any agreement.

Franceinfo also reported that the Israeli armed forces would remain in southern Lebanon in a border strip 10 kilometers deep, and that an adviser to President Emmanuel Macron said the ten‑day ceasefire would have to be verified on the ground.

In a separate report, Naharnet said President Joseph Aoun, through private channels, asked Hezbollah for the first time to submit a written proposal for its vision for ending the war with Israel, quoting a political source close to the Shiite Duo: "This document is essential for discussion and feedback; otherwise, we will remain stuck in the same cycle."

Le Parisien reported that Emmanuel Macron announced on Thursday evening the shipment of several tons of medicines to Lebanon, along with shelter solutions and aid for the tens of thousands of displaced people while Beirut is being bombed.

The same article said Lebanon has become the government’s main area of concern, describing the Cedar Country as attracting particular attention as military defense assets are deployed in the region.

Europe 1’s live updates also placed the ceasefire in a broader diplomatic context, saying Lebanon is working toward a "permanent agreement" after the truce took effect Friday and denying that direct talks with its neighbor constitute a "sign of weakness."

Europe 1 further reported that Joseph Aoun, in his first address to the nation since the truce, said direct talks are "not a sign of weakness or a concession," and he promised not to "yield an iota of the national territory."

Meanwhile, Europe 1’s live coverage linked the Lebanon ceasefire to wider negotiations, noting that a second round of negotiations must be organized after Donald Trump’s remarks about Iran’s enriched uranium, which Iran denied accepting.