Lebanon army chief visits US-Iran mediator Pakistan: Lebanese military
- Visit linked to broader Iran-US talks, source tells AFP
Lebanese army chief Rodolphe Haykal is in Pakistan for talks linked to US-Iran negotiations aimed at ending the regional war, amidst Lebanon's direct talks with Israel and Hezbollah's rejection of a new truce.
- Pakistani mediation in US-Iran regional war talks.
- Lebanon's critical role in peace negotiations.
- Lebanese President's criticism of Iranian interference.
- Hezbollah's rejection of the latest truce agreement.
BEIRUT: Lebanese army chief Rodolphe Haykal left Lebanon for Pakistan on Saturday where he will meet Field Marshal Asim Munir, the Lebanese military said, with a source telling AFP the visit is linked to broader Iran-US talks.
In a statement, the army said Haykal, “left Lebanon for the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, at the invitation of his Pakistani counterpart”.
A source with knowledge of the matter told AFP Haykal’s visit is “linked to the Pakistani mediation to resolve” issues between the United States and Iran who are negotiating an end to the Middle East regional war.
“Lebanon is critical part of the negotiations,” the source added, requesting anonymity.
Lebanon was drawn into the war when Hezbollah attacked Israel on March 2 to avenge the February 28 US-Israeli killing of Iran’s supreme leader.
Israel responded with an extensive campaign of airstrikes and a ground invasion that have killed nearly 3,600 people, and exchanges of fire with Hezbollah have not stopped despite an ongoing truce.
Iran insists Lebanon be included in any agreement with the United States to end the regional war.
But Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said, in an interview with CNN aired on Friday, that Iran must stop interfering in Lebanon, which has engaged in its own direct talks with Israel.
“It’s not your country, it’s our country,” he said. “It’s not your job to interfere into our country.”
“They are using Lebanon as a bargaining chip in their negotiation with the United States. It’s unacceptable,” he added.
Lebanon’s military said earlier on Saturday that three soldiers were killed in an Israeli strike on the country’s south.
A new conditional truce was announced by Lebanese and Israeli envoys this week in Washington.
It would require Hezbollah to stop firing, withdraw from near the Israeli border and would see Lebanon’s army deploy to new “pilot zones” in the area, where it will exercise exclusive control.
But Hezbollah has rejected the agreement, demanding a full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory.