Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi told Al Jazeera on Friday that Lebanon has received warnings from various Arab and international sources indicating that Israel may be preparing a large-scale military operation against the country.
Raggi said the Lebanese government is intensifying diplomatic contacts to prevent any potential Israeli strikes on the country and its infrastructure. He emphasized that ongoing meetings of the “mechanism” committee do not constitute traditional negotiations with Israel, while noting that Lebanon is seeking to return to a ceasefire agreement.
The minister also criticized the effectiveness of Hezbollah’s arsenal, stating that it has failed to support Gaza or protect Lebanon. “The Lebanese state is in dialogue with Hezbollah to convince it to hand over its weapons, but they refuse to do so,” he added.
Raggi further pointed to Iran’s negative influence in the region, describing it as a source of instability. “We have an issue with Iran, but we remain open to dialogue provided it ceases interference in Lebanon’s internal affairs and stops funding illegal organizations in the country,” he said.
Comments