The Lebanese Foreign Minister, Youssef Raji, confirmed that the decision to make peace and war in Lebanon is in the hands of the government alone, stressing that the state is negotiating directly on its own behalf and does not need any party to act on its behalf, and considering that “the Iranians have not yet understood this fact.”
In an interview with Sky News Arabia, Raji explained that both Israel and Hezbollah do not show cooperation in facilitating the course of negotiations, holding the party responsible for its refusal to discuss restricting weapons to the state. He pointed out that the framework agreement came as a result of the two “support wars” that the party opened in the south, stressing at the same time that the state’s efforts to extend its control over the entire Lebanese territory will not lead to a civil war.
Regarding the international file, Minister Raji revealed that he was heading to Washington to present the idea of forming an alternative international force to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), during his upcoming meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday. He explained that this proposal has become at the heart of the discussions after the faltering efforts made to extend the mission of the current UN force.
