Aoun reportedly says arms monopoly decision is 'final and irreversible'

President Joseph Aoun expressed "deep concern" following the latest Israeli ground incursion north of the Litani River and made "direct contact with senior officials in the U.S. administration, as well as with the Lebanese ambassador to Washington, Nada Moawad, with the aim of pressuring Israel and compelling it to establish a ceasefire before any negotiations can begin," media reports said.

In other leaks, sources in the Baabda Palace stated that Lebanon "insists that a ceasefire be the mandatory prerequisite for negotiations and refuses to negotiate under fire," noting that the Lebanese delegation, headed by Ambassador Simon Karam, "is considering delaying its entry into the negotiating table if a ceasefire is not established beforehand."

However, the same sources added that "if Washington exerts pressure to begin negotiations, the delegation may respond positively, while insisting on including the establishment of a ceasefire as a fundamental item on the agenda."

The sources also spoke of what they described as an “American question regarding guarantees to compel Hezbollah to adhere to the ceasefire,” adding that Aoun “is personally handling indirect communications with Hezbollah through Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri.”

The president was quoted as saying that “the decision to restrict weapons is final and irreversible,” and that “this restriction is linked to reaching a comprehensive security agreement with Israel, guaranteed by the United States, that ends the state of hostility between the two countries.”

According to the same leaks, Aoun emphasized that “this path does not imply moving towards a peace agreement, as Lebanon remains committed to the Arab Peace Initiative.”

The sources also indicated that “disarming Hezbollah must be accompanied by practical Israeli steps on the ground,” and that “a complete Israeli withdrawal eliminates the pretexts the party uses to justify retaining its weapons.”

The also sources reiterated that the president informed those concerned that “Lebanon refuses to allow its negotiations to be held hostage to the outcome of negotiations between Washington and Tehran.”