Aoun and Salam stress need to shield Lebanon from regional conflicts

BEIRUT — Amid rising tensions in the region, particularly the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam emphasized the urgent need to keep Lebanon out of regional wars. 

Speaking to the press, Joseph Aoun, a Syriac Maronite, stated that Lebanon does not wish to pay the price of further conflicts, adding that the Lebanese people have no national interest in being drawn into the Israeli-Iranian war, especially following last night’s U.S. airstrikes on key Iranian nuclear sites. “Lebanon—its leadership, parties, and people—has realized more than ever the heavy price it has paid in past wars waged on its land and across the region,” Aoun said. “We cannot afford to pay more.” 

He also warned that the strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities have heightened fears of an expanded regional escalation that could threaten the stability and security of multiple countries. Aoun called for restraint and urged serious, constructive negotiations to restore stability to the region and avoid further bloodshed and destruction. 

For his part, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, a Sunni Muslim, echoed the sentiment, stressing the importance of Lebanon remaining distant from any potential fallout of the ongoing conflict. “It is essential for Lebanon to firmly adhere to its highest national interest—staying out of the regional confrontation in all its forms,” Salam said.