joseph aoun

Lebanese Officials Stress Sovereignty as Iran’s Larijani Maps Out Suggestions for Lebanon

The Lebanese government’s message to Tehran was crystal clear on Wednesday: Beirut will not tolerate any interference in its internal affairs, let alone intrusions into its sovereign decisions, most notably, the state’s monopoly on arms. This unequivocal stance was delivered first by President Joseph Aoun and then by Prime Minister ...

Commercial Leases: Latest Amendments to Law No. 11

Law No. 11 was adopted in December 2023 and has already been challenged twice before the Constitutional Council: first by the President of the Republic, General Joseph Aoun, and then by thirteen MPs. Parliament passed its latest amendments on Thursday, July 31, 2025, hoping this version would be definitive and escape further ...

Aoun: No One Is Above the Law in the Fight Against Corruption

President Joseph Aoun on Tuesday reaffirmed that “no one is above the law” as the government moves to combat corruption, warning that some actors are intent on destroying Lebanon. Addressing a delegation of students from the Maronite Foundation for the Diaspora, Aoun said the government’s priority is to restore confidence between the ...

Hezbollah and the Monopoly of Arms: A Political Tug of War

Lebanon’s long-standing dispute over weapons has moved from political debate to decisive state action. Following a landmark Cabinet ruling, Hezbollah’s legal justification for maintaining arms has been revoked, forcing the group to either disarm peacefully or face consequences. Since the 1989 Taif Agreement, Hezbollah has refused to hand over ...

Aoun Offers Condolences to Wadi Zebqine Blast Victims, Checks on Wounded Soldiers

President Joseph Aoun visited on Monday Minister of Defense Maj. Gen. Michel Menassa and Army Commander Gen. Rodolphe Haykal at Yarze to extend condolences for the soldiers killed in the Wadi Zebqine incident and checked on wounded troops. At Geitaoui Hospital, Aoun checked on the condition of a wounded soldier, met the medical team and the ...

Challenges to Hezbollah's Resurgence and Lebanon's Sovereignty

Lebanon is navigating a complex political and military landscape, with a strong push from the United States and the international community encouraging the Lebanese government to enhance state sovereignty and work towards the disarmament of Hezbollah and other armed groups. Recently, US presidential envoy Tom Barrack presented a comprehensive plan ...

Wadi Zebqin Blast: Accident or Deliberate Attack?

Six Lebanese Army soldiers were killed in an explosion at a Hezbollah ammunition depot in Wadi Zebqin, in the Tyre region south of the Litani River. Four of the victims belonged to the Fifth Infantry Brigade, while two were members of the Engineering Regiment. The incident occurred amid an ongoing campaign targeting the Lebanese Army and senior ...

A Good Week for Lebanon

It has been a remarkable week for Lebanon. President Aoun, Speaker Berri, and Prime Minister Salam have acted in unison, never something to be taken for granted in Lebanon. Moreover, they have done so on a topic that has been wrongly taboo since the Taef Accord: restoring the Lebanese state's monopoly of arms and confronting Hezbollah's challenge ...

Tehran Vows to Block Lebanon’s Sovereignty Efforts

Tehran’s open opposition to Lebanon’s push for full state sovereignty has become increasingly clear, as Lebanese authorities seek to dismantle Hezbollah’s status as a “state within a state.” The process, launched by President Joseph Aoun and the Lebanese government on Tuesday, aims to restore the Lebanese state’s full authority over ...

Aoun Calls on Diaspora to Drive Lebanon’s Return to Regional Economic Role

President Joseph Aoun stressed the urgent need to reconnect Lebanon with its regional environment, highlighting the country’s ongoing reforms while acknowledging the challenges ahead. Speaking at the Fourth Diaspora Economy Conference on Friday, Aoun emphasized that Lebanon must reclaim a productive regional role, particularly through ...

Issa Reaffirms Support for Lebanese Sovereignty

US Congressman Darrell Issa emphasized Thursday that decision-making in Lebanon “must remain in the hands of the Lebanese people,” following a meeting with President Joseph Aoun. Issa voiced confidence in the Lebanese government’s commitment to preserving peace and stability, and reaffirmed continued US support for the Lebanese Armed Forces ...

Lebanon's Decision on Disarmament Is "Irrevocable," Says Aoun

A few hours before the Cabinet meeting scheduled for this afternoon to discuss US proposals aimed at helping Lebanon restore full sovereignty over its territory and launch a viable recovery process, President Joseph Aoun declared that the decision to disarm armed groups is “irreversible.” “The exclusivity of weapons in the hands of the ...