After 12 failed attempts, Lebanon’s parliament elected the chief of the armed forces, General Joseph Aoun, as the country’s president, ending a two-year stalemate.

During his speech before the parliament, the newly elected president announced that the Lebanese state would have a monopoly on weapons.

Joseph Aoun, pledging to uphold the ceasefire agreement with Israel, also stated that everything Israel destroyed in the south and the southern districts of Beirut will be rebuilt, while he made a special reference to Syria, saying that it is a historic opportunity for the restoration of relations with this country.

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Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar expressed hope that the election of Lebanon’s new president, Joseph Aoun, would contribute to the country’s “stability” and “good neighbourly relations.”

For its part, Iran welcomed Joseph Aoun’s election to Lebanon’s presidency, expressing the hope that the two countries will cooperate to serve “common interests,” according to a message from the Iranian embassy in Lebanon made public in X.

US Ambassador to Lebanon Lisa Johnson said she was “very happy” about the election of its commander, Lebanese Army commander Joseph Aoun as the country’s president. Johnson and other foreign envoys attended the Lebanese Parliament session, which saw the election of Aoun.

In Saudi Arabia, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman congratulated Joseph Aoun on his election as Lebanon’s president, according to the state news agency.

Source: AMNA

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