Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati expressed indignation at the statement by the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, Muhammad Baker Qalibaf, about his readiness to negotiate a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah terrorists. Qalibaf told Le Figaro that Tehran is ready to consider implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which orders the withdrawal of all armed forces from southern Lebanon, except the Lebanese army, and the withdrawal of Israeli troops.
The Lebanese Prime Minister noted that Iran is grossly interfering in the internal affairs of the country, and Qalibaf’s statements indicate an attempt to establish a protectorate over it. He stressed that the responsibility for negotiating resolution 1701 lies with the Lebanese government, not Iran.
Mikati's statement is puzzling, since Iranian interference and the transformation of Hezbollah into a kind of state within a state have long caused the Lebanese government to lose control of the country.