According to a report by the Times of Israel on Friday June 5, 2026, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has accused Iran of treating Lebanon as leverage in its wider negotiations with the United States, saying the country is being pulled into disputes it did not choose.

In an interview with CNN, Aoun said Tehran was effectively using Lebanon as what he described as a bargaining tool in diplomatic talks with Washington, a situation he warned was undermining Lebanese sovereignty.

He also directed a pointed message toward Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, stressing that Lebanon is not under foreign ownership or control. In one of his remarks, Aoun said: “it’s not your country, it’s our country.”

Beyond that, the Lebanese president reiterated a position he has consistently taken in recent months — that Lebanon should not be drawn into regional confrontations involving Iran, Israel, or the United States. According to him, decisions tied to national security must remain strictly in the hands of Lebanese state institutions.

Aoun went on to describe the impact of the ongoing regional tensions in stark terms, warning that Lebanon is already paying a heavy price. He said the country’s stability is being eroded while external actors continue to pursue their own strategic interests, adding that this approach is simply unacceptable given the internal strain Lebanon is already facing.

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