Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam told Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Thursday that Lebanon does not want to be an arena for regional wars, after the Tehran-backed Hezbollah terror group once again drew it into conflict earlier this year.

Lebanon has repeatedly accused Iran of interfering in its affairs, especially since the start of the latest war, alleging that Tehran was using it as a “bargaining chip” in talks with the United States.

Salam’s office said in a statement that he met with Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Salam “stressed that Lebanon has paid a heavy price in terms of its security, stability and economy, and that it does not want to become an arena for regional conflicts or a venue for the exchange of messages between others,” it said.

In March, two days after the United States and Israel attacked Iran, Hezbollah dragged Lebanon into the conflict by attacking Israel.

Israel responded with major airstrikes and a ground invasion, and declared the creation of a buffer zone in southern Lebanon, where troops would remain so long as Hezbollah was not disarmed.

Violence declined following a June framework agreement between Lebanon and........

© The Times of Israel