Lebanese president accuses Iran of using country as bargaining chip in US talks

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has accused Iran of using Lebanon as a bargaining chip in its negotiations with the United States, saying the Lebanese people are paying the price for conflicts that do not serve their interests.

In an interview with CNN, Aoun delivered one of his strongest public criticisms of Tehran, asserting that Lebanon's sovereignty should not be subordinated to broader regional power struggles.

"It’s not your country, it’s our country," Aoun said, addressing Iran and its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the principal backer of Hezbollah.

"(Iran is) using Lebanon as a bargaining chip in their negotiation with the US," he said.

Aoun said the Lebanese people were exhausted by recurring conflicts and wanted stability after years of economic crisis and war.

"We are fed up and we want to live in peace," he said, adding that Lebanese citizens deserved to live "in peace and dignity" without seeing their homes destroyed every few years.

The remarks come as Lebanon remains caught between Israeli military operations and Hezbollah's confrontation with Israel, while Iran continues to link a broader agreement with Washington to developments in Lebanon.

Iran rejects accusation

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi rejected Aoun's allegations, saying Tehran had no interest in using Lebanon as leverage.

"Had Lebanon been a bargaining chip for Iran, we'd have a deal long ago," Araghchi said in a response posted on social media.

He also urged the Lebanese president to focus on what he described as Lebanon's "real foe", in an apparent reference to Israel.

Push for diplomacy

Aoun said Lebanon was prepared to pursue direct ceasefire arrangements with Israel and called the current moment an opportunity to end decades of hostility.

"We are ready, we are willing, we are committed," he said regarding negotiations aimed at ending the conflict.

He urged both sides to choose diplomacy over continued warfare.

"They both have to choose: war or diplomacy," he said, referring to Lebanon and Israel.

The president said many Lebanese, including members of the Shiite community traditionally supportive of Hezbollah, were increasingly weary of conflict.

At the same time, Aoun stressed that Hezbollah could not be disarmed through military means alone and argued that any durable solution would require Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory and a negotiated settlement.

"Hezbollah is not an objective you can see... it's an idea," he said.

Hezbollah rejects ceasefire terms

The comments come amid renewed tensions over a proposed ceasefire arrangement between Lebanon and Israel.

Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem on Thursday rejected the latest agreement, describing it as a form of surrender and reiterating that the group would not accept disarmament while Israeli forces remain inside Lebanon.

Israel has conditioned its withdrawal from parts of southern Lebanon on Hezbollah giving up its weapons, while the Lebanese government says it remains committed to eventually bringing all armed groups under state authority.

Aoun acknowledged that persuading Hezbollah to disarm would be difficult but said he remained committed to dialogue rather than confrontation.

"I will try to negotiate and reason with them," he said. "Eventually they will be persuaded, but the cost will be high."

The Lebanese president's remarks underscore the growing pressure on Beirut as it seeks to balance domestic stability, Israeli security demands and competing regional interests amid efforts to secure a broader Middle East settlement.