Raji from Riyadh: No Alternative to Diplomacy to Safeguard Regional Stability and State Sovereignty

Lebanon’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants, Youssef Raji, participated in the emergency meeting held in Riyadh at the invitation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with the participation of foreign ministers from a number of Arab and Islamic countries. The meeting was dedicated to consultation and coordination on regional security and stability.

In Lebanon’s address, Raji described the current moment as pivotal, requiring bold positions and a historic responsibility to defend the security and sovereignty of states targeted by Iran. He explained that “the most dangerous aspect of these attacks is that they target countries that have adopted nothing but a policy of de-escalation toward Iran—countries that have long adhered to good neighborly policies, built bridges of cooperation, and sought to prevent the region from sliding into conflict.” He asked, “What message is Iran sending to our region when moderation is rewarded with aggression?”

Raji stated that “through targeting Arab and Islamic countries, Iran is attempting to hijack their security and peace and bargain them for its opportunistic objectives.” He stressed that the Lebanese government is determined to pull Lebanon out of what he described as the grip of Iranian influence, after Hezbollah dragged the country into a war it did not choose. He affirmed that “the Lebanese government has taken a series of decisions, is proceeding with their implementation, and will not backtrack.”

He revealed that “Hezbollah’s move to launch rockets at Israel led to further Israeli attacks and incursions into Lebanese territory, resulting in hundreds of deaths, thousands of injuries, and the displacement of more than one million Lebanese, exacerbating a severe humanitarian crisis.” He renewed calls on the UN Security Council and influential states to compel Israel to implement Resolution 1701 (2006), declare a cessation of hostilities for November 2024, put an end to its repeated violations of Lebanese sovereignty, and fully withdraw behind internationally recognized borders.
In his speech, Raji reaffirmed Lebanon’s commitment to the option of peace, stressing that there is no alternative to negotiations and diplomatic solutions to resolve conflicts and avoid further escalation.

He added that Lebanon is counting on Arab and international solidarity and support for the President’s initiative to enter into a direct negotiation track with Israel, aimed at stabilizing the situation, ending the conflict, and reaching sustainable solutions that preserve Lebanon’s sovereignty and rights.

Finally, he called for the urgent support of the Lebanese Army and armed forces to enable them to carry out their role in maintaining security and stability and in implementing Resolution 1701 in all its provisions—most notably, ensuring that arms are exclusively in the hands of the state and extending its authority across all Lebanese territory through its own capabilities.