Sammar Saini @SammarSaini - Twitter Profile

Today, I had the honor of meeting with His Excellency President General Joseph Aoun at a decisive moment for Lebanon. We reviewed the latest developments following the framework announced in Washington on June 26 and discussed the historic opportunity now before Lebanon to restore its sovereignty, strengthen its state institutions, and reclaim its national decision-making. I reaffirmed my full support for this process because, for the first time, it provides a practical and internationally backed framework capable of returning the exclusive authority over war and peace to the Lebanese state, ending Lebanon’s role as a battleground for regional conflicts, and putting an end to all forms of foreign interference in our national affairs—particularly Iranian interference, which has undermined Lebanon’s sovereignty and drawn our country into conflicts that do not serve its national interests. I also reiterated my full support for President Joseph Aoun, Prime Minister Dr. Nawaf Salam, and the Government. Success will require a unified national position behind the constitutional institutions of the Lebanese state and a shared determination not to lose this historic opportunity. We believe the Washington framework represents a historic political and security roadmap toward a just, lasting, and internationally supported peace between Lebanon and Israel. It builds on previous agreements, particularly the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement of November 27, 2024, while introducing the political and implementation mechanisms necessary to fulfill the commitments already undertaken by the Lebanese state. Its ultimate objective is to restore the state’s exclusive authority throughout Lebanese territory, place all weapons under the sole authority of the state, and fully reestablish Lebanon’s sovereignty. It is important to recall that the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement was approved by the Government of Prime Minister Najib Mikati on behalf of the Lebanese Republic. That government rested politically and parliamentarily on the support of Hezbollah, the Amal Movement, and their allies. The framework announced in Washington does not replace those commitments; it provides the mechanisms necessary to implement them. Those who accepted these obligations yesterday cannot reject their implementation today. Respect for the continuity of the Lebanese state and its international commitments is not a political preference—it is a constitutional and national obligation. Any retreat would undermine Lebanon’s credibility and weaken its standing with both its Arab partners and the international community. Lebanon has no realistic alternative to this path. We either restore our sovereignty, rebuild confidence with the Arab world and the international community, and secure a future of stability and prosperity, or we remain trapped in conflict, isolation, and economic decline. I also proposed to His Excellency that the Government adopt, alongside the implementation of the agreed security arrangements, a comprehensive national strategy for recovery, reconstruction, and sustainable economic development in every area where the state progressively resumes its responsibilities. As the Lebanese Armed Forces deploy and the state assumes exclusive security authority, reconstruction and development must advance in parallel. Security alone will not be sufficient. The Lebanese state must return with all of its institutions. Homes and infrastructure must be rebuilt, productive investment encouraged, jobs created for young people, and quality education and healthcare restored. Only a visible and effective state presence can rebuild citizens’ confidence and establish lasting stability. Lebanon’s recent history has demonstrated that where the state withdraws, parallel institutions inevitably emerge. The responsibility of the state today is to reclaim that space completely, ensuring that no parallel structures remain and that no authority exists other than the constitutional institutions of the Lebanese Republic. The restoration of the Lebanese state is not simply a political aspiration. It is a comprehensive national project founded on full sovereignty, one state, one army, one legitimate authority over arms, strong institutions, a productive economy, equal justice under the law, and a future worthy of all Lebanese.