Iran hits back at Aoun after Lebanon ‘bargaining chip’ claim

Diplomatic tensions between Iran and Lebanon intensified after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded to Lebanese President Joseph Aoun’s accusation that Tehran was using Lebanon as a bargaining chip in negotiations with the United States and Israel. In a post on X on Saturday (6/6), Araghchi denied that Iran was exploiting Lebanon and suggested that Aoun’s comments made it sound as if Iran occupied one-fifth of Lebanon, drove one-fourth of its people out, and bombed the country every day. He also wrote, “If Lebanon really were Iran’s bargaining chip, we would have reached an agreement long ago.” A day earlier, in an interview with CNN, Aoun said the Lebanese people were tired of the Israel-Hizbullah war and argued that Iran’s interests did not align with those of Lebanon’s citizens.