Lebanon balances ties with Cyprus, Turkey and Iran amid regional shifts

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Lebanon 10-07-2026 | 08:24

Lebanon balances ties with Cyprus, Turkey and Iran amid regional shifts

Beirut seeks to strengthen international support, advance diplomatic engagement and manage relations with neighboring and regional powers as it navigates political and security challenges.

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Lebanon balances ties with Cyprus, Turkey and Iran amid regional shifts
The President during his meeting with the U.S. ambassador in Beirut, Michel Issa.
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Despite the latest military developments on the United States and Iran front, and while Lebanon was seeking some indication that Israel accepted the framework agreement and was genuinely prepared to begin implementing its provisions as a condition for participating in the next round of negotiations in Rome, US Ambassador Michel Issa informed officials on the sidelines of his visit to Baabda Palace, while reaffirming the US invitation for President Joseph Aoun to visit Washington, that a US military delegation would arrive in Beirut within days to coordinate and establish the mechanism for implementing the framework agreement on the ground.

 

This is considered necessary to prevent any security vacuum when Israeli forces withdraw from the areas designated as pilot zones. Based on the outcome of the coordination meetings, the date for the start of implementation on the ground will then be determined.

 

Ambassador Issa also confirmed that the talks in Rome, which were moved there for technical reasons, are intended to continue the discussions and understandings reached in Washington. He indicated that several meetings would be held in the Italian capital or elsewhere to oversee implementation in accordance with the phases that will be agreed upon.

 

The Rome meeting, scheduled for July 14 and 15, is organizational and implementation focused, with the aim of putting into effect the provisions of the framework agreement, particularly through the formation of specialized working groups responsible for carrying out the arrangements agreed upon in Washington. Depending on the issues under discussion, these arrangements may require legal or technical experts.

 

 

Speaker of the Parliament Nabih Berri during his meeting with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Vahid Jalalzadeh and the accompanying delegation.
Speaker of the Parliament Nabih Berri during his meeting with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Vahid Jalalzadeh and the accompanying delegation.

 

 

Cyprus and Turkey

 

 

On the political front, developments in Lebanon yesterday unfolded around two neighboring but rival countries, Cyprus and Turkey, suggesting that the Lebanese authorities are striving to make the most of every source of leverage available to them while also repairing their relationships in order to rally support for their current and future course.

 

As Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi concludes an official visit to Cyprus, during which he heard Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides express interest in establishing a cooperation mechanism with Lebanon involving France to discuss the post UNIFIL phase, the Cypriot president also affirmed that Nicosia would support any decision Lebanon reaches on this matter.

 

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam arrives in Turkey today and is scheduled to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan after Friday prayers, in the presence of Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and the head of the Turkish National Intelligence Organization, İbrahim Kalın. Lebanon's renewed engagement with Turkey will not end with this visit after a long period of limited contact, as President Joseph Aoun is expected to visit Ankara on either July 29 or 30 to continue the efforts initiated by Salam to restore and strengthen relations between the two countries.

 

An active Turkish diplomat said that Turkey seeks the strongest possible relationship with Lebanon and its people without barriers. He expressed surprise that Erdoğan's significant statement, delivered before members of his parliamentary bloc, had not prompted any official Lebanese inquiry.

 

Erdoğan had declared that "Turkey's security begins in Damascus and Beirut." According to the diplomat, none of the Lebanese officials, whether in the government or elsewhere, contacted the Turkish embassy to seek clarification from Ankara regarding the reasons behind this statement. A Lebanese political source commented that "the Turks are entitled to exercise such caution toward Israel, especially given that Israel has not limited itself to weakening Iran."

 

 

Berri receives EU Ambassadors

 

 

As part of efforts to mobilize international support, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri met yesterday with the European Union ambassadors accredited to Lebanon. Their discussions focused on financial and economic reforms as well as reconstruction.

 

Berri stressed to the ambassadors that Parliament is committed to passing the legislation related to banking sector restructuring after the government resubmitted the draft law in a revised form that incorporates the observations of the International Monetary Fund.

 

 

Cypriot President Nicos Christodoulides during his meeting with Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Raji.
Cypriot President Nicos Christodoulides during his meeting with Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Raji.

 

 

Iranian Delegation to Beirut soon?

 

 

Meanwhile, following reports of a possible visit by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to Beirut, with no date set amid a cool official response to the proposal, Tehran appeared determined to maintain its diplomatic engagement with Lebanon. It dispatched Deputy Foreign Minister Vahid Jalalzadeh to meet with several Lebanese officials, foremost among them Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri.

 

The composition of the Iranian delegation took into account the Lebanese government's position by excluding Mohammad Reza Sheibani, whom Iran had designated as its ambassador to Beirut but whose accreditation has not been officially accepted by Lebanon. Instead, the meetings were attended by the Chargé d'Affaires of the Iranian Embassy, Toufic Samadi.

 

The discussions covered developments in Lebanon and the wider region, as well as bilateral relations between the two countries. Jalalzadeh also conveyed an oral message to Speaker Berri from Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reaffirming the Islamic Republic of Iran's commitment to standing by Lebanon.

Tags
Lebanon ، Israel ، Framework Agreement ، Rome ، Michel Issa ، Baabda Palace ، Joseph Aoun ، Washington ، Erdogan ، Damascus ، Turkey ، Beirut ، Nabih Berri ، Abbas Araghchi ، United States ، Iran ، framework agreement ، Cyprus ، Nawaf Salam ، UNIFIL ، European Union ، International Monetary Fund ، Tarek Mitri ، Vahid Jalalzadeh ، Mohammad Reza Sheibani ، Masoud Pezeshkian