US President Donald Trump said in Washington that Hezbollah had contacted the United States about stopping fighting in Lebanon, despite the group’s public rejection of a US-backed ceasefire proposal.
“Hezbollah called us and said, ‘How about stopping?’” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on June 4, according to Calibre Az.
Trump linked the Lebanon talks to wider regional diplomacy involving Iran. He said it “would be really nice” if Lebanon could have peace after years of conflict.
The remarks came as the United States tried to preserve a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.
The Associated Press reported that the US-brokered plan would establish pilot security zones in Lebanon where Hezbollah could not operate.
Read: Lebanon Ceasefire Calls Grow At UN Security Council
Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem rejected the proposed agreement. He described the talks as “futile” and “humiliating” for Lebanon, according to the source content.
The Guardian reported that Hezbollah was not part of the Israel-Lebanon talks and had condemned the plan, while the Lebanese government had backed efforts to extend the ceasefire.
Trump later said he had spoken with both Hezbollah and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He suggested diplomatic efforts were still moving forward, despite Hezbollah’s public opposition.
