UN Security Council

President Aoun to ATFL: Time for Reforms and Disarmament

President Joseph Aoun reaffirmed Lebanon’s commitment to implementing vital reforms and upholding UN Security Council Resolution 1701, during a meeting on Monday with the American Task Force on Lebanon (ATFL). He also emphasized that structural reforms and the disarmament of Hezbollah are not only international and American demands but also ...

Schenker: Lebanon Must Step Up Efforts to Disarm Hezbollah

Former US Assistant Secretary of State for Middle East Affairs David Schenker stated that “Lebanon must continue its efforts to disarm Hezbollah.” He also said, “Peace is essential, but it will only last if other measures are taken beforehand.” Speaking on MTV's Sar el-Waet program, which aired on Thursday night, Schenker noted that the ...

Eid Celebrations: Joy Amid Conflict’s Shadow

Despite the psychological impact of the airstrikes, Ramzi Salman, the President of the Lebanese Guesthouses Syndicate, told This is Beirut on Tuesday that the Eid al-Fitr weekend saw a significant influx of visitors. According to Salman, guesthouses experienced relatively strong bookings, highlighting the sector’s resilience amid the ongoing ...

Confronting Suicidal Radicals: Full Resolve, No Half-Measures

When a country is gripped by a deep existential crisis and confronted with an armed conflict sparked by external aggression, polarized positions often become unavoidable. This is especially true – and bears repeating – when it comes to the actions of Iran’s proxies and their regional backer, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps ...

What We Know About Syria’s New Government

Syria's new government, dominated by interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa's inner circle, faces the daunting challenge of gaining the trust of Syrians, as well as that of Western countries to secure sanctions relief. The transitional 23-member cabinet -- without a prime minister -- was announced on Saturday, more than three months after Sharaa's ...

Washington Underscores Syria's Uncertain Future and Security Challenges

Three months after the ousting of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Washington underscored the persisting challenges facing the process of peaceful political transition in light of recurring security incidents, notably mass killings in the country’s western part. At a UN Security Council briefing on the situation in the Middle East, US interim ...

Rajji: Hezbollah "Disavowing" Ceasefire Agreement with Israel

Lebanese Foreign Affairs Minister Youssef Rajji said Hezbollah is disavowing the November 27 ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel, asserting that the deal explicitly authorized only the Lebanese Army (LAF) to bear arms. Rajji made his remarks on Wednesday during a meeting at the headquarters of the Maronite League in Medawar, Achrafieh, ...

Iran Denies Involvement in Yemeni Conflict in Letter to UN Security Council

In a recent diplomatic communication on Monday, Iran addressed the United Nations Security Council, asserting its non-involvement in the ongoing Yemeni conflict and rejecting accusations of breaching international agreements. The letter, sent earlier today, aims to clarify Iran's position amid escalating tensions in the region. Iran ...

UN Envoy Calls for Urgent Diplomacy as ‘Cautious Optimism’ Surrounds Lebanon’s Stability

The United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, expressed “cautious optimism” regarding Lebanon’s political and security situation during her briefing to the UN Security Council on Monday. Hennis-Plasschaert welcomed the formation of Lebanon’s new government and its ministerial program. She also ...

March 14: 20 Years Later, Revisiting a Defining Moment

On March 14, 2005, a human tidal wave flooded Martyrs' Square. Lebanese people of all faiths gathered around a single cause: rising up against the Syrian occupation of Lebanon, one month after the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri. It was a first in the history of independent Lebanon. Today, the 20th commemoration has a new ...

Iran Gambles with Regional Security in Syria and Lebanon

Iran is clinging to its waning influence in key regional capitals, hoping to maximize leverage in negotiations over its nuclear program. It continues to destabilize Syria and offer hollow rhetorical support to Hezbollah in Lebanon, ignoring the risk of provoking the US administration’s unwavering support to Israel, and the latter’s ...

Subversion in Syria: The Extent of Iran’s Involvement

The main pieces are being put in place… A likely diplomatic showdown — or, if diplomacy fails, a military confrontation — between the Iranian axis and the Western camp is clearly taking shape, both in Lebanon and across the regional landscape. Several clear signs of this looming standoff have surfaced in recent days amid an increasingly ...