President Joseph Aoun said negotiations in Washington are ongoing and remain separate from the U.S.-Iran meetings taking place in Switzerland [1, 2].

This distinction is critical as it suggests that the effort to stabilize southern Lebanon is being treated as a localized diplomatic track, rather than a byproduct of broader geopolitical tensions between Washington and Tehran.

According to Aoun, the current diplomatic efforts in the U.S. capital are specifically focused on establishing a ceasefire in southern Lebanon [1, 2]. The administration is working toward a framework that would facilitate the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the region [1, 2].

By decoupling these talks from the Swiss meetings, the Lebanese presidency indicates a desire to secure immediate security guarantees regardless of the outcome of the U.S.-Iran dialogue. The Washington track aims to address the immediate military presence on the ground, a priority for Lebanese stability.

While the meetings in Switzerland involve high-level discussions between the U.S. and Iran, Aoun said that the Lebanese objective is a concrete end to hostilities in the south [1, 2]. The focus remains on the logistics of a pull-out, and the verification of a ceasefire agreement [1, 2].

“Negotiations in Washington are ongoing and separate from the US‑Iran meetings in Switzerland”

The separation of these two diplomatic tracks suggests that Lebanon is attempting to insulate its immediate security needs from the volatile nature of U.S.-Iran relations. By pursuing a distinct path in Washington, the Lebanese government seeks a more direct route to an Israeli withdrawal that does not depend on a comprehensive grand bargain between the U.S. and Iran.