'People and Government of Iraq Stand with Lebanon': Sudani Condemns Israeli Strikes in Call with Aoun

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - On Sunday, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani held a telephone call with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun to discuss the latest security developments in Lebanon and the mounting scale of Israeli strikes on Lebanese territory. The conversation reflected deepening regional concern over the trajectory of the conflict — and Iraq's determination to stand firmly alongside Beirut.

Al-Sudani condemned in strong terms the Israeli strikes being carried out against Lebanon, reaffirming Iraq's unwavering position at both government and popular levels in support of the Lebanese people as they confront what he described as flagrant aggression.

Both leaders emphasized the importance of close coordination between the two countries and called on major powers, international institutions, and the United Nations to fulfill their responsibilities in the face of violations against Lebanon's sovereignty and the deliberate targeting of its civilian population.

Lebanese President Aoun, for his part, expressed appreciation for Iraq's stance and its continued efforts in support of the Lebanese people.

Salam: committed to ending the war through negotiations

Separately, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam reaffirmed his government's commitment to ending the conflict through a negotiated path, in a statement delivered on the eve of the 51st anniversary of the outbreak of Lebanon's 15-year civil war.

Direct talks between Lebanon and Israel are scheduled to begin Tuesday in Washington, in an effort to bring the armed conflict with Hezbollah to a close. In Beirut, Hezbollah supporters and opponents of the talks took to the streets, expressing their belief that the government lacks the capacity to bring the war to an end.

Lebanon's conditions for negotiations

The Lebanese government has made reaching a ceasefire a prerequisite for entering the talks, and intends to demand the full withdrawal of Israeli forces, the release of Lebanese detainees, and the safe return of more than one million displaced persons to their homes.

While Lebanese authorities have condemned Israeli airstrikes and ground operations, they have also denounced Hezbollah's decision to fire rockets on March 2 "in solidarity with Iran" — a move the government has characterized as the spark that ignited the latest escalation. The current government, which assumed office more than a year ago, has pledged to confine weapons to state authority and disarm all non-state armed groups.

Salam closed his statement with a personal appeal: "I feel the pain of every mother who lost her son fighting on the front lines, just as I feel the bitterness of the mother who lost a child who did not choose this war and only wanted to live in peace."