‘We cannot let Iran be our spokesperson’: Lebanon charts own path in talks with Israel

François Picard is pleased to welcome Jad Shahrour. Communications Manager at Samir Kassir Foundation. Lebanon is at a geopolitical crossroads, where sovereignty, regional rivalries, and international diplomacy collide. Joining us from Beirut amid ongoing uncertainty, he places current negotiations with Israel within a broader struggle to reassert the authority of the Lebanese state. He emphasises the necessity of disentangling Lebanon’s national decision-making from external actors, while acknowledging the deeply rooted historical tensions that complicate any path toward stability.