By Nohad Topalian | 2026-04-30

On April 12, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam stated that Lebanon did not choose war, emphasizing the South would not face destruction alone.

Hizbullah, fully backed by the Iranian regime, had dragged Lebanon into a conflict after launching missiles at Israel on March 1.

Salam affirmed the continuation of efforts to halt the war, foremost among them the critical ceasefire initiative.

He seeks to empower legitimate state institutions to fulfill their full protective role for Lebanon and all its citizens.

Despite the Lebanon-Israel truce effective at midnight on April 16, Hizbullah and its supporters continue to refuse any direct negotiations with Israel.

By actively joining the Iranian regime’s confrontation, the group became a major regional combatant, overriding the nation’s sovereignty.

Hassan Qutb, director of the Lebanese Center for Research and Consulting confirmed "Salam’s determination to reclaim sovereign authority regarding the declaration of war and peace decisions."

Lebanon rejected all attempts by any domestic faction to negotiate on its behalf, ensuring constitutional institutions handle all ceasefire talks.

"The government rejected Iranian attempts to incorporate the Lebanese core issue into its own sensitive negotiations with the United States," Qutb told Al-Fassel.

On March 23, Salam revealed the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) elements were directing Hizbullah’s military operations, having entered Lebanon illegally using forged passports.

Salam succeeded in decoupling Lebanon from Iran's front, officially criminalizing Hizbullah’s rogue military wing.