Aoun accuses Hezbollah of working toward ‘collapse’ of Lebanese state for Iran’s sake

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Monday accused Hezbollah of working toward the “collapse” of the state for the sake of Iran’s interests, a week after the Tehran-backed militia launched an attack on Israel, starting a new war in Lebanon.

“Whoever launched those missiles wanted to bring about the collapse of the Lebanese state, plunging it into aggression and chaos... all for the sake of the Iranian regime’s calculations,” Aoun told top European officials in an online meeting.

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Aoun described Hezbollah as “an armed group outside the state, which places no value on the interests of Lebanon or the lives of its people,” calling for “direct negotiations under international auspices” with Israel to stop the war.

Earlier on Monday, Hezbollah welcomed the selection of Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran’s new supreme leader, pledging allegiance after his predecessor and father Ali Khamenei was killed in US-Israeli attacks.

“We in Hezbollah extend our warmest congratulations and blessings on this occasion. We renew our pledge of loyalty to this blessed approach and our steadfastness on the path of allegiance,” the militia said in a statement.

Hezbollah entered the Middle East war a week ago by attacking Israel in response to Ali Khamenei’s killing.

With AFP

Read more: Lebanon’s Hezbollah pledges allegiance to Iran’s new supreme leader