Hezbollah Rebuffs Trump; Lebanese Resistance Refuses Negotiations
Sources report that the US has recently made concerted efforts to establish a direct communication channel with Lebanon's Hezbollah but has failed to do so.
Citing its own sources, the Lebanese newspaper *Al-Akhbar* reported that US officials have been discussing ideas originally proposed in late August by Tom Barrack, the US Ambassador to Turkey.
Barrack had stated that "Hezbollah and Iran must be included in any agreement or direct negotiation, as simply bringing other Lebanese parties to the table will not solve the problem on its own."
Barrack’s remarks sparked objections both within the US and abroad—including in the region and within Lebanon—prompting him to subsequently issue statements aimed at "clarification and resolving misunderstandings."
*Al-Akhbar* reported that numerous efforts and messages were initiated by regional and international mediators, as well as diplomatic delegations, to establish a direct line of communication between Washington and Hezbollah.
According to the report, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi exerted the most effort in this regard. Additionally, US Ambassador to Beirut Michelle Sison met with Sheikh Ali al-Khatib—Deputy Head of the Supreme Islamic Shia Council—shortly after his return from Iran and Iraq in early September, just days after Barrack’s comments.
*Al-Akhbar* notes that US officials believe the experience of direct dialogue with the Taliban, Yemen’s Ansarullah, and certain Iraqi groups could be replicated in the case of Hezbollah in Lebanon. Lebanese Government Fears Any Hezbollah-US Negotiations
According to the report, regarding the recent experience in Yemen, Washington—after about two months of bombing and Ansarullah’s attacks on certain US naval vessels—managed to reach a mutual non-aggression security agreement with the group, which has not been violated to date.
*Al-Akhbar* also reported that certain parties are attempting to persuade Hezbollah that "direct contact is better than mediation," arguing that it facilitates de-escalation and the presentation of demands by both sides, creates "a form of internal balance vis-à-vis political figures like Joseph Aoun and Nawaf Salam," and prevents these Lebanese officials from striking deals with the Americans to Hezbollah's detriment.
The newspaper notes that informed sources emphasize Hezbollah’s refusal to engage in direct contact with the Americans at this stage stems from specific considerations; the Lebanese government, however, is apprehensive about any negotiations between Washington and Hezbollah, fearing it would lose its monopoly over the relationship with the US.
According to these sources, Hezbollah maintains that any direct contact with the US would yield no results and offers no guarantees.
Hezbollah Rebuffs Trump; Lebanese Resistance Will Not Negotiate
Sources reported that the US has recently made every effort to establish a direct communication channel with Lebanon's Hezbollah but has failed to do so.
According to the Fars News Agency’s international desk, Lebanon’s *Al-Akhbar* newspaper, citing its own sources, reported that the Americans are discussing ideas originally proposed last August by Tom Barrack, the US Ambassador to Turkey. Barak had stated that "Hezbollah and Iran must be included in any agreement or direct negotiation, because simply bringing other Lebanese parties to the table will not solve the problem on its own."
Barak's remarks sparked objections both within and outside the United States—including in the region and in Lebanon—prompting him to subsequently issue statements aimed at "clarification and clearing up misunderstandings."
*Al-Akhbar* reported that numerous efforts and messages were exchanged by regional and international mediators and diplomatic delegations to establish a direct channel of communication between Washington and Hezbollah.
According to the report, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi exerted the most effort in this regard. US Ambassador to Beirut Michelle Sison also met with Sheikh Ali al-Khatib—Deputy Head of the Supreme Islamic Shia Council—shortly after his return from Iran and Iraq in early September, and just days after Barak’s remarks.
According to *Al-Akhbar*, the Americans believe that the experience of direct dialogue with the Taliban, Yemen’s Ansarullah, and certain Iraqi groups could be replicated with Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The Lebanese government's apprehension regarding any Hezbollah-US negotiations
The report notes that in the recent case of Yemen, following approximately two months of bombing and Ansarullah attacks on US naval vessels, Washington managed to reach a mutual non-aggression security agreement with the group—an agreement that has not been violated to date. *Al-Akhbar* also reported that certain parties are attempting to persuade Hezbollah that "direct contact is preferable to mediation," arguing that it would facilitate de-escalation, help address the demands of both sides, and establish "a form of internal balance involving political figures such as Joseph Aoun and Nawaf Salam," while preventing these Lebanese officials from striking deals with the Americans to Hezbollah's detriment.
According to the newspaper, informed sources emphasize that Hezbollah’s refusal to engage in direct contact with the Americans at this stage stems from specific considerations; the Lebanese government, however, is apprehensive about any potential negotiations between Washington and Hezbollah, fearing it would lose its exclusive hold on the relationship with the U.S.
These sources state that Hezbollah maintains that any direct contact with the U.S. would yield no results and offers no guarantees.
Reasons Behind Hezbollah’s Rejection of Negotiations with the US
A second consideration for Hezbollah is its lack of trust in the US administration's objectives regarding these negotiations; the upcoming US midterm elections are, in fact, one of the reasons the administration is pursuing them. After all, Donald Trump has recently announced contacts and agreements with "America's enemies," aiming to leverage these moves for publicity in his election campaign.
According to these sources, Hezbollah has no confidence in the US administration's intentions. It believes there are no serious indications that the US intends to use its influence to halt Israeli aggression against Lebanon or to pressure the regime to withdraw from southern Lebanon.
These sources state that during the ongoing conflict, the US has provided unprecedented support to the Israeli government while simultaneously exerting every effort to disarm Hezbollah—without securing any concessions from Israel in return.
Informed sources report that Hezbollah distrusts the current US administration because it has failed to honor any of its agreements, even those made with its own allies. Trump engages in "political deception," viewing it as a legitimate tool in international relations.
Lebanese sources indicate that the absence of international guarantees has led Hezbollah to reject negotiations with the US. Consequently, Hezbollah believes that the Trump administration’s proposal for direct talks is merely an attempt to gain political and media capital for its election campaign.