Iranian Foreign Minister Criticizes Lebanese President for Slamming Tehran

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi/DOK kremlin.ru

JAKARTA - Iranian Foreign Minister (Menlu) Abbas Araghchi criticized Lebanese President Joseph Aoun after his statement regarding Tehran's role in Lebanon.

In his post on the social media platform X on Saturday, June 6, Araghchi said Aoun's comments gave the impression that Iran, and not other parties, was responsible for the various challenges Lebanon is currently facing.

"Based on Mr. Aoun's comments, one would think that Iran is occupying one-fifth of Lebanon, expelling a quarter of the Lebanese people, and bombing their country every day," he wrote.

The Iranian foreign minister also rejected the notion that Lebanon was used by Tehran as a bargaining chip in negotiations.

"If Lebanon were indeed a bargaining chip for Iran, we would have reached an agreement a long time ago," he said.

Araghchi ended his message by urging the Lebanese president to focus on what he called Beirut's "real enemy".

The statement was made in response to Aoun's comments in an interview with CNN, in which the Lebanese president discussed Iran and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

This exchange of statements highlights the growing differences between Beirut and Tehran regarding regional developments and Lebanon's position amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East.