Lebanese President Joseph Aoun Accuses Hezbollah of Sabotaging Sovereignty Amidst Direct Peace Negotiation Offer to Israel

President Joseph Aoun accuses Hezbollah of collapsing Lebanon and seeks direct peace negotiations with Israel, supported by a surprise endorsement from Syria.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 9, 2026, 4:47 PM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from AFP

Presidential Condemnation of Iranian Proxies

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun issued a scathing indictment of Hezbollah on Monday, accusing the militant organization of deliberately pushing Lebanon toward state failure to serve the strategic interests of Tehran. During a briefing with European officials, Aoun asserted that the group’s March 2 missile strikes against Israel were designed to plunge the nation into a state of aggression and chaos. According to the President, the decision to initiate hostilities was made without national consensus, effectively kidnapping the country's foreign policy for the sake of the Iranian regime's calculations. This internal political rupture marks the most significant challenge to Hezbollah's domestic standing since the current regional war began.

A Four Point Framework for National Recovery

To prevent the total disintegration of the Lebanese state, President Aoun introduced a comprehensive diplomatic initiative aimed at securing an immediate and lasting peace. The proposal outlines a transition toward a full truce with Israel, facilitated by direct negotiations held under international auspices. Crucially, the plan calls for logistical and military support from the global community to empower the Lebanese Armed Forces in the mandatory disarmament of Hezbollah. By positioning the national army as the sole legitimate security force, Aoun is attempting to reclaim Lebanese sovereignty and decouple the country's fate from the broader US-Israeli military campaign against the Iranian leadership.

Unprecedented Syrian Support for Disarmament

In a major shift in regional dynamics, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has officially endorsed Aoun’s call to disarm Hezbollah. Al-Sharaa stated on Monday that Damascus stands alongside the Lebanese presidency in its quest to neutralize the militant group, signaling a potential realignment in the Levant. This endorsement from a traditional ally of the "Resistance Axis" suggests that the recent strikes against the Iranian leadership have created a power vacuum that regional neighbors are now seeking to fill. The Syrian backing provides Aoun with essential regional cover as he navigates the dangerous process of challenging Hezbollah's heavily armed presence within Lebanese borders.