Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi on Saturday rejected Lebanese President Joseph Aoun's accusation that Tehran was using Lebanon as a bargaining chip in its negotiations with Washington.
The sharp rebuttal escalated a public war of words between the two sides over Iran's role in Lebanon.
What did Iran's foreign minister say about the Lebanon bargaining chip claim?
Araqchi dismissed the accusation directly, writing on X: "Had Lebanon been a bargaining chip for Iran, we'd have reached a deal long ago." He urged Aoun to "save Lebanon from your real foe."
The response came hours after Aoun accused Iran's Revolutionary Guards of treating Lebanon as an extension of Tehran's regional agenda.
What prompted Iran's response?
In a CNN interview on Friday, Aoun accused Iran of interfering in Lebanon's internal affairs and directly addressed the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, stressing that Lebanon was a sovereign state not for anyone to control. He urged Iran-backed Hezbollah to pursue diplomacy as the only viable path to ending hostilities with Israel. He also said foreign interference in Lebanese affairs was unacceptable.
Aoun has repeatedly argued that Hezbollah should relinquish its weapons and rely on negotiations, saying Lebanon's population is weary of continued conflict. He warned that military solutions had repeatedly failed in the region, citing the ongoing war in Gaza. Lebanon and Israel recently discussed a potential truce in Washington, though key issues including Hezbollah's disarmament remain unresolved.
Where do Lebanon-Iran relations stand now?
Tensions between Beirut and Tehran have intensified amid the wider regional conflict involving Hezbollah and Israel, which has seen repeated exchanges of fire despite ceasefire efforts.
Aoun has committed Lebanon to ending hostilities with Israel while insisting that only diplomacy can stabilize the country. Iran, meanwhile, has declared continued support for Hezbollah, complicating prospects for a broader peace deal.
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