Iran’s FM to Lebanese president: ‘Save Lebanon from your real foe’

A sharp public exchange has erupted between Tehran and Beirut after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi directly rebuked Lebanese President Joseph Aoun over remarks made during a televised interview, accusing him of misidentifying the source of Lebanon’s crises and deflecting attention away from what Iran characterises as the country’s primary threat.

Araghchi took to X on Saturday to respond to Aoun’s comments, made a day earlier during an exclusive interview with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour. The Iranian minister’s message was pointed and public:

Araghchi argued that Aoun’s framing of Iran as a destabilising force fundamentally misread the situation on the ground, stating:

Araghchi also pushed back firmly against Aoun’s assertion that Iran was leveraging Lebanon in its diplomatic negotiations with Washington, calling the claim unfounded:

In his CNN interview, Aoun had delivered a direct message to the IRGC, following remarks by its chief commander Brigadier General Esmaeil Qaani that Hezbollah’s minimum condition was a complete Israeli withdrawal to pre-war positions. Aoun told the force plainly: “It’s not your country, it’s our country.” He also described any use of Lebanon as leverage in Iran-US talks as “unacceptable” and called on Hezbollah to pursue diplomacy as the only viable path to ending the conflict with Israel.

The diplomatic spat comes against the backdrop of a US-brokered ceasefire between the Lebanese government and Israel, though the agreement has done little to halt violence on the ground. Israeli strikes have continued across southern Lebanon, targeting villages and towns and destroying civilian homes, public facilities, and infrastructure. Several Lebanese civilians have been killed or wounded in recent strikes, and displacement orders have been issued for residents of three towns in the Sidon and Nabatiyeh areas.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported on Thursday that the war has claimed at least 3,526 lives since March 2, with the toll continuing to rise despite the nominal ceasefire arrangement.

The public clash between Araghchi and Aoun highlights a deepening tension between Beirut and Tehran over the question of sovereignty, Hezbollah’s role, and the terms under which Lebanon’s conflict with Israel can ultimately be resolved.