Washington denies the existence of an American-Turkish proposal to change the Lebanese regime

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The US State Department denied the existence of any US-Turkish proposal regarding Lebanon, stressing that Washington does not support any plan to change the structure of the Lebanese political system based on the Taif Agreement.

US State Department spokesman Tommy Pigot said, in a post on the “X” platform, that “there is no American-Turkish proposal related to Lebanon, nor any proposals supported by the United States to change the structure of the Lebanese political system established by the Taif Agreement.”

The American position came in a direct clarification regarding the nature of diplomatic movements related to Lebanon, with Washington confirming its continued commitment to working with Beirut and Tel Aviv within the tripartite framework.

Pigot explained that the United States is fully committed to working with Lebanon and Israel through the tripartite framework, with the aim of ending the spiral of conflict between the two sides.

The American spokesman identified three main goals for this path, the most important of which is disarming Hezbollah, which he described as an agent of Iran and which the United States classifies as a terrorist organization.

He added that the framework also aims to achieve long-term security for both Lebanon and Israel, and to establish peaceful relations between the two countries based on mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.

He stressed that Washington welcomed the support of international partners to achieve these goals, without indicating a specific role for Turkey or announcing a new initiative.

The American denial re-highlights the Taif Agreement, which was concluded in 1989 under Saudi sponsorship, and formed the basis for ending the Lebanese civil war and reorganizing constitutional institutions.

The agreement established fundamental amendments to the distribution of powers among government institutions, and strengthened the principle of parity in parliamentary representation between Muslims and Christians.

It also stipulated the dissolution of Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias and the handing over of their weapons to the state, an issue that is still present in the political debate regarding the exclusivity of weapons in the hands of legitimate institutions.

Washington's confirmation that there is no plan to change the Lebanese political system comes in light of the continuing internal disputes regarding Hezbollah's weapons and the state's role in security and military decisions.

The current American moves are based on a security and diplomatic track between Lebanon and Israel, linked to efforts to stabilize the cessation of hostilities and enhance stability on the southern border.

The cessation of hostilities agreement announced in November 2024 stipulated security arrangements that included the deployment of the Lebanese army in the south, and preventing the presence of unlicensed weapons and armed groups in the area specified in the agreement.

A mechanism was also established to follow up on the implementation of the arrangements, with the participation of the United States, France, and the United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

However, the new US State Department statement talks about a “tripartite framework” with broader goals, which include disarming Hezbollah, achieving long-term security, and establishing peaceful relations between Lebanon and Israel. Pigot did not provide additional details regarding the mechanisms for implementing these goals or their timetable.