Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has strongly criticized Iran, claiming that Tehran is using his country as a “bargaining chip” in talks with the United States. In an interview with CNN, the Lebanese president stressed that Lebanon’s sovereignty and security are the sole responsibility of the Lebanese state.

As reported by The Times of Israel, Aoun accused Iran of instrumentalizing Lebanon in negotiations with the United States, in remarks made to CNN.

Lebanon’s president also sent a clear message to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, stating: “It is not your country, it is our country.”

The Lebanese president has repeatedly attempted to distance Lebanon from the conflicts and confrontations unfolding across the wider Middle East region. At the same time, he has stressed that decisions concerning the national sovereignty and security of the country should be taken exclusively by the Lebanese state and its institutions.

“Our home is being destroyed. Iran is using Lebanon as a bargaining chip in its negotiations with the United States. This is unacceptable,” Aoun said, expressing his opposition to his country’s involvement in broader geopolitical confrontations in the region.