Manama meeting urges preservation of Lebanon negotiations
Participants in the Gulf-US Ministerial Meeting, held in Manama on Friday, stressed in a joint statement the importance of preserving the negotiation process in Lebanon and ensuring it remains separate from other regional conflicts.
The statement underscored the need for the complete disarmament of non-state armed groups in Lebanon and the restoration of the Lebanese state's exclusive monopoly on the use of force, while emphasizing the importance of supporting the Lebanese Armed Forces in achieving this objective.
The ministers reaffirmed their full commitment to Lebanon's sovereignty, security, stability, and territorial integrity. They also welcomed the ongoing US-mediated bilateral negotiations between Israel and Lebanon, aimed at creating the conditions necessary for a lasting peace and security agreement between both countries.
The statement stressed that Lebanon's full sovereignty cannot be achieved as long as non-state armed groups retain military capabilities outside the authority of the state.
The ministers also welcomed the signing of the memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran and praised the mediation efforts undertaken by Pakistan and Qatar. They emphasized that reopening the Strait of Hormuz and ensuring unrestricted freedom of navigation are essential to regional and global security.
The statement added that any trade and investment with Iran would remain conditional to Iran's compliance with the memorandum of understanding and any final agreement, its cessation of destabilizing activities, and the creation of conditions conducive to economic cooperation.
The ministers concluded that achieving lasting regional peace and security requires addressing all forms of Iranian threats, including its ballistic missile program, drone capabilities, and support for proxy groups across the region.
