Lebanese President Joseph Aoun discussed relations with Iran on Tuesday during a meeting with a top Iranian delegation in the capital Beirut, calling for national unity among his people, Anadolu reports.
The Iranian delegation included Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and Ambassador Mojtaba Amani.
During the meeting, Aoun said Lebanon is “tired of the wars of others on its land” and called for countries “not to interfere in the internal affairs” of Lebanon, the presidency said in a statement.
“The best way to confront any loss or aggression is the unity of the Lebanese people,” Aoun stressed.
The statement quoted Qalibaf as saying that Iran is ready “to participate with Arab and Islamic countries in rebuilding what was destroyed by the Israeli aggression on Lebanon.”
READ: Israeli air strikes target in Lebanon amid late Hezbollah leader Nasrallah’s funeral
The Iranian delegation took part early Sunday in the funeral of former Lebanese Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah and senior member Hashem Safieddine in Beirut.
Nasrallah was assassinated in Israeli air strikes in Beirut on Sept. 27, 2024. Safieddine was killed in a similar airstrike on Oct. 3.
A ceasefire agreement has been in place in Lebanon since Nov. 27, ending months of cross-border warfare between Israel and Hezbollah that escalated into a full-scale conflict in September.
Under the ceasefire deal, Israel was supposed to fully withdraw from southern Lebanon by Jan. 26, but the deadline was extended to Feb. 18 after Israel refused to comply.
The Israeli army withdrew from southern Lebanese towns last week but maintained a military presence at five border outposts.