Behind the Scenes of Lebanon's Meetings in New York.. The Demand is One: "Control of Weapons"

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The Israeli escalation in southern Lebanon continues, after the air force carried out a series of airstrikes over the past two days, accompanied by artillery shelling targeting several southern towns, some of which fall within what is now known as the 'Blue Line' and others in the Nabatieh district, in addition to the heights of the Iqlim al-Tuffah region, which observers believe will be the next target for the Israeli army after announcing its control over the Ali al-Taher heights, due to the military infrastructure belonging to Hezbollah.

It seems that the eighth round of direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, sponsored by the United States, will not take place at least before the Israeli elections at the end of October, according to diplomatic sources confirmed to 'Al Arabiya and Al Hadath.net'.

The sources also indicated that 'even if a date for the eighth round is set before the end of October, it will not yield any specific results and will only be for show'.

Meanwhile, Lebanon is counting on the diplomatic movement initiated by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and the accompanying delegation in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly meetings, where he had several meetings with heads and ministers concerned with the Lebanese file.

Diplomatic sources clarified that the meetings in New York were good, but there are many questions about what has been achieved on the ground, particularly regarding the decision to restrict weapons and establish state authority. Time is passing, and there is no tangible progress on the ground, while what is required is the implementation of what the government has committed to regarding weapons.

Moreover, the diplomatic sources warned that the longer Lebanon delays in implementing its commitments, the more difficult the situation will become.

Additionally, they pointed out that the international community relies on the Lebanese army to fulfill its duties in implementing the decision to restrict weapons, especially in the northern Litani area.

As for the phase after the international forces operating in southern Lebanon, UNIFIL, whose mandate ends at the end of the year, the diplomatic sources confirmed that there will be no renewal for UNIFIL in the south, and there is no alternative formula at this time.

Lebanon insists on the exclusivity of the official decision in negotiations and in matters of war and peace, while Hezbollah continues to criticize the framework agreement and the direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel. Through its Secretary-General Naeem Qassem, it has called for halting this path and returning to indirect negotiations.

This is what Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said to the Iranian delegation he met on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, where he emphasized that Lebanon is not a playground for exchanging messages, demanding that Iran appoint a new ambassador to Lebanon instead of the current ambassador, Mohammad Reza Sheybani, whom Lebanon considers "a person not welcome."

However, the Iranian side, according to what was reported from the meeting between Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and Iranian President Masoud Bezhakian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, rejected the appointment of a replacement for Sheybani and insisted on keeping him even if his residency in Lebanon ended.