During a meeting in New York on Thursday 24 September 2026, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam told Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian that Lebanon rejected being turned into an arena for regional conflicts or an exchange of messages. He said Beirut looked forward to opening a new chapter in relations with Tehran based on respect for sovereignty and independence and non-interference in internal affairs.
Salam and Pezeshkian discuss bilateral relations
The meeting was held on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, in the presence of Lebanese Foreign and Expatriates Minister Youssef Rajji and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. The talks covered bilateral relations and regional and international developments, according to statements by the Lebanese and Iranian sides.
Salam said Lebanon had paid a heavy price in terms of its security, stability and economy, stressing that relations between Lebanon and Iran were historic at the level of both countries and their peoples. He said the Lebanese side wanted to build a sound “state-to-state” relationship based on shared interests and respect for each side’s sovereignty and independent decision-making.
The Lebanese prime minister called on Iran to nominate a new ambassador to Lebanon, wishing the Iranian people security, stability, prosperity and growth. The call comes months after a diplomatic crisis that followed Lebanon’s declaration that Iran’s ambassador to Beirut, Mohammad Reza Shibani, was persona non grata.
Salam sets withdrawal by Israeli forces as priority
Salam said Lebanon’s priority was the complete withdrawal of the Israeli forces from Lebanese territory and an end to attacks, alongside continued efforts to extend state authority across all its territory and place arms and decisions on war and peace solely in the hands of official institutions.
De-escalation, reform, economic openness and security stability were central themes in Salam’s meetings with Arab and international officials in New York. The prime minister said his talks focused on sparing Lebanon and the region further confrontations and strengthening foreign relations on the basis of sovereignty, non-interference and mutual interests.
Salam also discussed expanding economic and investment cooperation and strengthening regional connectivity projects, particularly in the energy, electricity, transport and infrastructure sectors, as well as benefiting from international expertise to modernise Lebanon’s administration and digitise government services. On security, Salam stressed the need for the Israeli forces to withdraw and halt their attacks, helping to consolidate stability and enable residents of affected towns and villages to return.
International preparations for the post-UNIFIL phase
He also reaffirmed continued work on reform, strengthening state institutions, supporting recovery and reconstruction, and restoring essential services in affected areas. His talks also addressed preparations for the period following the end of the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, UNIFIL, to prevent a vacuum in the south.
He called for an arrangement guaranteeing a continued international presence to carry out monitoring, reporting and communication tasks under the umbrella of a Security Council resolution, and to support the extension of the Lebanese state’s authority over its territory.
During his stay in New York, Salam attended the opening of the United Nations General Assembly and a US multilateral summit attended by the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Türkiye. He also chaired a high-level meeting entitled “Beyond Crises”, jointly convened by Lebanon, the European Union and the United Nations Development Programme.
The Lebanese prime minister held a series of meetings with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, Kuwaiti Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa. Following his meeting with al-Sharaa, Salam said the two sides were working to open a new chapter in Lebanese-Syrian relations based on trust, non-interference and shared interests.
He added that the talks addressed completing a review of bilateral agreements in preparation for the first meeting of the Lebanese-Syrian Higher Joint Committee, which he expected to be held within the next two months. The two sides also discussed strengthening regional connectivity projects in electricity, railways and energy.
For his part, al-Sharaa said the two countries were trying to move beyond a difficult legacy and build new relations based on economic cooperation and political ties that would be reflected in the security situation. He stressed the common concerns of Lebanon and Syria and the importance of maintaining the best possible relations between them.
